iris

Meanings

Noun

• A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See ).
• 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 ).
• A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.
• A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.
• A constricted opening in the path inside a waveguide, used to form a resonator.
• The inner circle of an oscillated color spot.

Verb

• To open or close in the manner of an iris.
• To cause (something) to shine with the colours of the rainbow; to make iridescent.

Origin

• From Middle English, from Latin īris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις, from Proto-Indo-European *wey-ro-, from *weh₁y-. Cognate to English wire.