Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. iris, flag, fleur-de-lis, sword lily(noun)

   plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals

2. iris(noun)

   muscular diaphragm that controls the size of the pupil which in turn controls the amount of light that enters the eye; it forms the colored portion of the eye

3. iris, iris diaphragm(noun)

   diaphragm consisting of thin overlapping plates that can be adjusted to change the diameter of a central opening

GCIDE(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris(n.)

   same as iris diaphragm.

Origin: [L. iris, iridis, the goddess, Gr. , , the rainbow, iris of the eye, the plant Iris. Cf. Orris.]

Wiktionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. iris(Noun)

   A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms.

2. iris(Noun)

   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.

3. iris(Noun)

   A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.

4. iris(Noun)

   A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.

5. iris(Verb)

   (of an aperture, lens or door) To open or close in the manner of an iris.

6. Iris(ProperNoun)

   A messenger of the gods, and goddess of rainbows.

7. Iris(ProperNoun)

   ; a flower name used since the end of the 19th century.

8. Iris(ProperNoun)

   , an asteroid

Origin: Ἶρις iris "rainbow".

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris(noun)

   the goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods

2. Iris(noun)

   the rainbow

3. Iris(noun)

   an appearance resembling the rainbow; a prismatic play of colors

4. Iris(noun)

   the contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, and forming the colored portion of the eye. See Eye

5. Iris(noun)

   a genus of plants having showy flowers and bulbous or tuberous roots, of which the flower-de-luce (fleur-de-lis), orris, and other species of flag are examples. See Illust. of Flower-de-luce

6. Iris(noun)

   see Fleur-de-lis, 2

Origin: [L. iris, iridis, the goddess, Gr. , , the rainbow, iris of the eye, the plant Iris. Cf. Orris.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris

   Iris is a genus of 260–300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower. The often-segregated, monotypic genera Belamcanda, Hermodactylus, and Pardanthopsis are currently included in Iris.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris

   ī′ris, n. the rainbow: an appearance resembling the rainbow: the contractile curtain perforated by the pupil, and forming the coloured part of the eye (also I′rid): the fleur-de-lis, or flagflower:—pl. I′rises.—adjs. I′ridal, Irid′ian, exhibiting the colours of the iris or rainbow: prismatic.—ns. Irides′cence, Iridisā′tion.—adjs. Irides′cent, coloured like the iris or rainbow; I′ridine, iridescent.—v.t. Ir′idise.—adjs. I′risāted, rainbow-coloured; Ir′ised, showing colours like the rainbow.—ns. Irī′tis, Iridī′tis, inflammation of the iris of the eye. [L. iris, iridis—Gr. iris, iridos, the rainbow.]

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris

   the daughter of Thaumus (i. e. wonder) and of the ocean nymph Electra (i. e. splendour); was the goddess of the rainbow, and as such the messenger of the gods, particularly of Zeus and Hera, the appearance of the rainbow being regarded as a sign that communications of good omen were passing between heaven and earth, as it was to Noah that they would continue to be kept up; she is represented as dressed in a long wide tunic, over which hangs a light upper garment, and with golden wings on her shoulders.

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Iris

   The most anterior portion of the uveal layer, separating the anterior chamber from the posterior. It consists of two layers - the stroma and the pigmented epithelium. Color of the iris depends on the amount of melanin in the stroma on reflection from the pigmented epithelium.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. iris

   Song lyrics by iris -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by iris on the Lyrics.com website.

2. IRIS

   What does IRIS stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the IRIS acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of iris in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of iris in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. Wilfred Sheed:

   Henry James created more convincing women than Iris Murdoch put together.

2. Arabella Carter-Johnson:

   Thula loved all of the things that Iris found difficult, it was like heaven.

3. Mark Chernev:

   For the past two months, my clients, the owners, have been trying everything in their power to try to avoid Iris Canada from being evicted from the house where she lives.

4. Tathagata Satpathy:

   It has been showcased as a tool exclusively meant for disbursement of subsidies and we do not realize that it can also be used for mass surveillance, can the government ... assure us that this Aadhaar card and the data that will be collected under it – biometric, biological, iris scan, finger print, everything put together – will not be misused as has been done by the NSA in the U.S.?

5. Saj Khan:

   Dr Homer said. The laser treats only the iris and does not enter the pupil or treat any portion of the inside of the eye where the nerves affecting the vision are located. The company is still in the fundraising stage but hopes to have completed clinical trials within several years. And the cost of turning your brown eyes blue ? Dr Homer says Stroma Medical would charge around $ 5,000( £ 3,120) for the procedure. Industry skepticism Industry reaction to the process has been muted. Ophthalmologists who deal with people's eyes, Dr Homer concedes, have every right to be skeptical for the simple fact they are dealing with one of the most sensitive organs in the human body. Saj Khan, an ophthalmologist at the London Eye Hospital, told CNN the treatment raised some red flags. ' The main concern with any procedure that involves releasing pigment inside the eye is that the pigment can clog up the normal drainage channels which can in turn cause the pressure inside the eye to go up, if that happens significantly enough, for long enough, it's how patients develop glaucoma.

Images & Illustrations of iris