i·ris
 iris
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- pronunciation:
- aI
rihs
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| inflections: |
irides, irises |
| definition 1: |
the colored circle around the pupil of the eye.
A person with blue eyes has blue irises. |
| definition 2: |
a plant that has leaves shaped like swords and large, showy flowers.
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Iris is an ancient Greek word. In ancient Greece, it was a word for a kind of lily and for the colored ring on the surface of the eye. In English, it still has these meanings. In Greek mythology, Iris was the name of a female messenger of the gods. She appeared to mortals as the rainbow. Our word
iridescent comes from the word "iris."