iris
English
Etymology
From Middle English [Term?], from Latin īris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”), from Proto-Indo-European *wey-ro- (“a twist, thread, cord, wire”), from *weh₁y- (“to turn, twist, weave, plait”). Cognate to English wire.
You can help Wiktionary by providing a proper etymology.
Pronunciation
Audio (US) (file) - enPR: ī'rĭs, IPA(key): /ˈaɪɹɪs/
- Rhymes: -aɪɹɪs
Noun


iris (plural irises or iris or irides) (See Usage notes)
- (botany) A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See
Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ).- 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter V, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326:
- Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
- (anatomy) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, which adjusts to control the amount of light reaching the retina, and which forms the colored portion of the eye (See
Iris (anatomy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ). - (photography, cinematography) A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.
- (poetic) A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.
- (electronics) A constricted opening in the path inside a waveguide, used to form a resonator.
- (zoology) The inner circle of an oscillated color spot.
Usage notes
For the part of the eye, the usual medical plural is irides.
For the flower both iris and irises are in common use.
Quotations
plural iris
1989 1996 |
2004 | ||||||
ME « | 15th c. | 16th c. | 17th c. | 18th c. | 19th c. | 20th c. | 21st c. |
- 1989, Ann Lovejoy, The Year in Bloom
- Is there anything more spectacular than the bearded iris in their short season?
- 1996, Katherine Grace Endicott, Northern California Gardening
- Tall bearded iris are in bloom now.
- 2004, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, A Garden for Life
- The bulbous iris are important because their early flowers provide a food source for bees and early flying insects.
plural irides
1843 | 1989 | 2001 | |||||
ME « | 15th c. | 16th c. | 17th c. | 18th c. | 19th c. | 20th c. | 21st c. |
- 1843, The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
- In colour the irides are straw-yellow, the pupils black; forehead, nape, and back, very dark bluish-black; [...]
- 1989, Robert S Ridgely, The Birds of South America
- As in the caciques, bills are sharply pointed and pale, while irides are usually pale blue.
- 2001, John V Forrester et al., The Eye
- Later in life brown irides are the result of heavily pigmented melanocytes within the stroma.
plural irises
1987 2000 |
2002 | ||||||
ME « | 15th c. | 16th c. | 17th c. | 18th c. | 19th c. | 20th c. | 21st c. |
- 1987, Pamela Harper, Frederick McGourty, Perennials
- Tall bearded irises are easy to grow but not always easy to grow well.
- 2000, Kevin C Voughn, Louisiana Iris
- Most iris lovers feel that Louisiana irises are now large enough.
- 2002, John E Bryan, Bulbs
- All these irises are sold as dry, dormant bulbs in fall.
Translations
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Further reading
Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Iris (anatomy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Catalan
Etymology
From Latin iris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).
Related terms
- iridectomia
- iridi
- iridià
- irídic
Further reading
- “iris” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
Dutch
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /i.ʁis/
Audio (file)
Further reading
- “iris” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Ido
Indonesian
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irish iris f (“a thong or strap (from which a shield, bag, etc. is suspended)”).
Declension
Second declension
Bare forms
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Forms with the definite article
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Declension
Second declension
Bare forms (no plural form of this noun)
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Forms with the definite article
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Alternative forms
Etymology 3
You can help Wiktionary by providing a proper etymology.
Noun
iris f (genitive singular irise, nominative plural irisí)
- Alternative form of oireas
- magazine, journal
- Synonym: irisleabhar
- gazette
Declension
Second declension
Bare forms
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Forms with the definite article
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Derived terms
- iriseoir m (“journalist”)
- iris mhíosúil f (“monthly magazine”)
- iris oifigiúil f (“official gazette”)
- iris trádála f (“trade journal”)
Related terms
- iriseoireacht f (“journalism”)
Noun
iris m
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɪɾɪʃ/
Mutation
Irish mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
Radical | Eclipsis | with h-prothesis | with t-prothesis |
iris | n-iris | hiris | not applicable |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Further reading
- "iris" in Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
- “iris” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
- “ires(s)” in Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy, 1913–76.
- Entries containing “iris” in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm, 1959, by Tomás de Bhaldraithe.
- Entries containing “iris” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
Italian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).
Latin
Noun
īrīs
- inflection of īra:
- dative plural
- ablative plural
- rainbow
- Vulgate Bible, Douay-Rheims Version, Revelation 10:1
- et vidi alium angelum fortem descendentem de caelo amictum nube et iris in capite eius et facies eius erat ut sol et pedes eius tamquam columna ignis
- Vulgate Bible, Douay-Rheims Version, Revelation 10:1
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”).
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”).
Portuguese
Romanian
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
You can help Wiktionary by providing a proper etymology. Compare Irish iris.
Mutation
Scottish Gaelic mutation | |||
---|---|---|---|
Radical | Eclipsis | with h-prothesis | with t-prothesis |
iris | n-iris | h-iris | t-iris |
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. |
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈiɾis/
Derived terms
Related terms
- íride
- iridio
Further reading
- “iris” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.