iris

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural irises also irides ˈī-rə-ˌdēz How to pronounce iris (audio)
ˈir-ə-
1
a
: the opaque contractile diaphragm perforated by the pupil and forming the colored portion of the eye see eye illustration
b
: iris diaphragm
also : a similar device with a circular opening that can be varied in size
2
also plural iris : any of a large genus (Iris of the family Iridaceae, the iris family) of perennial herbaceous plants with linear usually basal leaves and large showy flowers
3

Illustration of iris

Illustration of iris
  • iris 2

iris

2 of 3

verb

irised; irising; irises

transitive verb

: to make iridescent

Iris

3 of 3

noun (2)

: the Greek goddess of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods

Examples of iris in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Notable blooms include the spring ephemerals — trillium, lady slipper orchids, crested dwarf iris, columbine, bleeding heart, and violets, to name a few — and the summer arrival of red cardinal flowers, purple-fringed orchids, and black-eyed Susans. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 And 500 varieties of irises in just one charming display garden. Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The headset authenticates the user by looking at their iris. Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 19 Jan. 2024 By scanning irises, Worldcoin should only allocate one digital identity per person, which would be stored on the blockchain. Robert Hart, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Her selections were weighed heavily toward plants that would have been popular when the mansion was built – irises, peonies, camellias, hydrangeas, crape myrtle trees. Emily Hedrick, Charlotte Observer, 1 Feb. 2024 There’s another eye color change procedure called laser depigmentation of the iris. Katie Camero, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Hollow out the pumpkin for the double-vision design, being careful to leave the outlines of the irises in place. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Oct. 2023 Most of her irises are black except for the white concentric circles near the pupil that almost make her eyes look like a never-ending maze. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 7 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iris.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, "iris of the eye, the plant Iris germanica," borrowed from Latin īrid-, īris "rainbow, the plant Iris pallida or related species," borrowed from Greek īrid-, îris "rainbow, iridescent halo around the moon, a flame, etc., iris of the eye, the plant Iris pallida or related species," going back to *wīrid-, *wīris, of uncertain origin

Note: Traditionally, Greek îris "rainbow" (for which an original digamma [letter representing the sound w] is assured by an inscription from Corinth and the metrics of epic poetry) has been regarded as a derivative of Indo-European *u̯ei̯H- "plait, wrap," parallel to Germanic *wīr- (see wire entry 1). However, the variant éris recorded by the Greek lexicographer Hesychius, as well as the dubious character of *wīrid- as an Indo-European formation (< *u̯ih1-r-i-?) has drawn this etymology into question. Perhaps a substratal word.

Noun (2)

Latin, from Greek

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1816, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of iris was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near iris

Cite this Entry

“Iris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iris. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

iris

noun
ˈī-rəs
plural irises
-rə-səz
or irides
ˈī-rə-ˌdēz,
ˈir-ə-
1
: the colored part around the pupil of the eye that changes in size to control the amount of light entering the pupil
2
also plural iris : any of a large genus of plants with long pointed leaves and large usually brightly colored flowers
3

Medical Definition

iris

noun
plural irises or irides ˈī-rə-ˌdēz How to pronounce iris (audio) ˈir-ə- How to pronounce iris (audio)
1
: the opaque muscular contractile diaphragm that is suspended in the aqueous humor in front of the lens of the eye, is perforated by the pupil and is continuous peripherally with the ciliary body, has a deeply pigmented posterior surface which excludes the entrance of light except through the pupil and a colored anterior surface which determines the color of the eyes
2

More from Merriam-Webster on iris

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