iris

See also: Iris, IRIs, íris, Íris, and 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.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• enPR: ī'rĭs, IPA^(key): /ˈaɪɹɪs/
• Rhymes: -aɪɹɪs

Noun

A plant of the genus, Iris.

Illustration showing parts of the human eye, including the iris.

iris (plural irises or iris or irides) (See Usage notes)

2. (botany) A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ).
   • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] 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.

3. (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 ).
4. (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.
5. (poetic) A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.
6. (electronics) A constricted opening in the path inside a waveguide, used to form a resonator.
7. (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

For quotations using this term, see Citations:iris.

Derived terms

• bearded iris
• beardless iris
• German iris
• Iris (name)
• iriscope
• irislike
• irisology
• iris pigmented epithelium
• Spanish iris
• stinking iris

 

Related terms

• iridal
• iridial
• iridian
• iridium
• iridocyclitis
• iridology
• iritic
• iritis

 

Translations

plant of the genus Iris

• Armenian: հիրիկ (hy) (hirik)
• Bulgarian: ирис m (iris), перуника f (perunika)
• Catalan: lliri (ca) m, iris (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 鳶尾花 (zh), 鸢尾花 (zh) (yuānwěi huā)

• Czech: kosatec (cs) m
• Danish: iris (da) c
• Dutch: iris (nl) m or f
• Faroese: mækja f
• Finnish: kurjenmiekka (fi)
• French: iris (fr) m
• Galician: lirio (gl) m
• Georgian: ზამბახი (zambaxi)
• German: Iris (de) f, Schwertlilie (de) f
• Greek: ίρις (el) f (íris)
• Hungarian: nőszirom (hu), írisz (hu)
• Irish: glóiriam m, ireas m
• Italian: iris (it) m, giaggiolo (it) m
• Japanese: 菖蒲 (ja) (あやめ, ayame)
• Korean: 붓꽃 (ko) (butkkot), 창포 (ko) (changpo)
• Latvian: īriss (lv) m
• Lithuanian: vilkdalgis m

• Macedonian: перуника f (perunika), ирис m (iris)
• Maori: mīkoikoi
• Middle English: flourdelis
• Navajo: niteel bitʼąąʼ łánígíí
• Persian: زنبق‎ (fa) (zanbaq)
• Plautdietsch: Schelplelje f
• Polish: irys (pl) m, kosaciec (pl) m
• Portuguese: íris (pt) m
• Romanian: iris (ro) m, stânjen (ro) m, stânjenel (ro) m
• Russian: и́рис (ru) m (íris), каса́тик (ru) m (kasátik)
• Scottish Gaelic: seileastair m
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: и̑рис m, перу̀ника f

  Roman: ȋris (sh) m, perùnika (sh) f

• Slovene: perunika f
• Spanish: lirio (es) m
• Swahili: airisi
• Swedish: iris (sv) c
• Telugu: కంటిపాప (te) (kaṇṭipāpa)
• Turkish: süsen (tr), iris (tr)
• Vietnamese: diên vĩ

part of the eye

• Arabic: قُزَحِيَّة‎ f (quzaḥiyya)

  Egyptian Arabic: قزحية‎ f (quzaḥeya), سواد العين‎ m (sawād el-ʿein)

• Armenian: ծիածանաթաղանթ (hy) (ciacanatʿałantʿ), ակնածիածան (hy) (aknaciacan)
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: ирис m (iris)
• Burmese: မျက်ဝန်း (my) (myak-wan:), မျက်နက် (my) (myaknak)
• Catalan: iris (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 虹膜 (zh) (hóngmó), 虹彩 (zh) (hóngcǎi)

• Czech: duhovka (cs) f
• Danish: regnbuehinde (da), iris (da) c
• Dutch: regenboogvlies (nl) n, iris (nl) m or f
• Esperanto: iriso
• Faroese: lithinna f
• Finnish: värikalvo (fi), iiris (fi)
• French: iris (fr) m
• Galician: iris (gl) m
• Georgian: თვალის გარსი (tvalis garsi), ფერადი გარსი (peradi garsi)
• German: Iris (de) f, Regenbogenhaut (de) f
• Greek: ίρις (el) f (íris), ίριδα (el) f (írida)
• Hungarian: szivárványhártya (hu), írisz (hu)
• Irish: imreasc (ga) m, inteachán m, seall m
• Italian: iride (it) f
• Japanese: 虹彩 (ja) (こうさい, kōsai)
• Khmer: ប្រស្រី (prɑsrəy), អក្ខិ (km) (akkʰe’), កែវភ្នែក (kaev pnɛɛk), អក្សិតារា (akse’ taaraa)

• Korean: 홍채 (ko) (hongchae)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: rengîne (ku) f

• Latvian: varavīksnene f
• Lithuanian: rainelė f
• Macedonian: рожница f (rožnica), шареница f (šarenica)
• Maori: tiwha
• Mongolian: please add this translation if you can
• Navajo: anázhiin
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: regnbuehinne m or f, iris (no) m

  Nynorsk: regnbogehinne f, iris m

• Persian: عنبیه‎ (fa) ('enabiye)
• Polish: tęczówka (pl) f
• Portuguese: íris (pt) m
• Romanian: iris (ro) n
• Russian: ра́дужная оболо́чка (ru) f (rádužnaja obolóčka), и́рис (ru) m (íris)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: и̑рис m, шарѐница f, ду̏жица f

  Roman: ȋris (sh) m, šarènica (sh) f, dȕžica (sh) f

• Slovene: šarenica (sl) f
• Spanish: iris (es) m
• Swedish: iris (sv) c, regnbågshinna (sv)
• Tagalog: alikmata (tl)
• Thai: ม่านตา (mâan-dtaa)
• Turkish: iris (tr)
• Vietnamese: mống mắt
• Volapük: lirid (vo)

photography, cinematography: diaphragm

• Bulgarian: бленда (bg) f (blenda)
• Finnish: himmennin (fi), aukko (fi)
• French: iris (fr) m
• Hungarian: írisz (hu)
• Romanian: iris (ro) n

• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: бле̑нда f

  Roman: blȇnda (sh) f

Further reading

• Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Iris (anatomy) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Verb

iris (third-person singular simple present irises, present participle irising, simple past and past participle irised)

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

Anagrams

• Siri

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Catalan

Etymology

From Latin iris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA^(key): /ˈi.ɾis/

Noun

iris m (plural iris)

1. iris (part of the eye)

Derived terms

• arc iris

Related terms

• iridectomia
• iridi
• iridià
• irídic

Further reading

• “iris” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

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Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin īris or Middle French iris (itself from Latin), from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈiː.rɪs/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: iris
• Homophone: Iris

Noun

iris f (plural irissen, diminutive irisje n)

1. (anatomy) iris (coloured part of the eye)

   Synonym: regenboogvlies

2. (botany) iris, plant of the genus Iris

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Esperanto

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

iris

1. past of iri

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.ʁis/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

iris m (plural iris)

1. iris

Further reading

• “iris” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

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Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈiris/

Verb

iris

1. past of irar

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Indonesian

Noun

iris (plural, first-person possessive irisku, second-person possessive irismu, third-person possessive irisnya)

1. slice

Verb

mengiris

1. to slice

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Irish

Etymology 1

From Old Irish iris f (“a thong or strap (from which a shield, bag, etc. is suspended)”).

Noun

iris f (genitive singular irise, nominative plural irisí)

1. strap, sling (for carrying)

Declension

Declension of iris

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative iris irisí Vocative a iris a irisí Genitive irise irisí Dative iris irisí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an iris na hirisí Genitive na hirise na n-irisí Dative leis an iris don iris leis na hirisí

Etymology 2

From Old Irish iress (“religion, creed, the (true) faith”).

Noun

iris f (genitive singular irise)

1. (literary) belief, faith, religion

Declension

Declension of iris

Second declension

Bare forms (no plural form of this noun) Case Singular Nominative iris Vocative a iris Genitive irise Dative iris

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Nominative an iris Genitive na hirise Dative leis an iris don iris

Alternative forms

• ireas

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

iris f (genitive singular irise, nominative plural irisí)

1. Alternative form of oireas
2. magazine, journal

   Synonym: irisleabhar

3. gazette

Declension

Declension of iris

Second declension

Bare forms Case Singular Plural Nominative iris irisí Vocative a iris a irisí Genitive irise irisí Dative iris irisí

Forms with the definite article Case Singular Plural Nominative an iris na hirisí Genitive na hirise na n-irisí Dative leis an iris don iris leis na hirisí

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”)

Etymology 4

Noun

iris m

1. genitive/vocative singular of ireas (“iris”)
2. nominative/dative plural of ireas

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.
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “iris”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “ires(s)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• 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.

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Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Noun

iris m or f (invariable)

1. iris (flower)

   Synonyms: giaggiolo, iride

Anagrams

• risi

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Latin

Noun

īris f (genitive iridis); third declension

1. 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

Third-declension noun (i-stem).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	īris	īrēs
Genitive	īris	īrium
Dative	īrī	īribus
Accusative	īrem	īrēs īrīs
Ablative	īre	īribus
Vocative	īris	īrēs

īrīs

1. dative/ablative plural of īra

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Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”).

Noun

iris m (definite singular irisen, indefinite plural iriser, definite plural irisene)

1. (botany) an iris (flower)
2. (anatomy) an iris (part of the eye)

   Synonym: regnbuehinne

References

• “iris” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”).

Noun

iris m (definite singular irisen, indefinite plural irisar, definite plural irisane)

1. (botany) an iris (flower)
2. (anatomy) an iris (part of the eye)

   Synonym: regnbogehinne

References

• “iris” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

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Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈirʲisʲ/

Noun

iris

1. Alternative spelling of iriss: accusative/dative singular of ires

Mutation

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
iris	unchanged	n-iris
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

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Portuguese

Noun

iris f (plural iris)

1. Obsolete spelling of íris

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French iris, Latin iris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Noun

iris n (plural irisuri)

1. (anatomy) iris (of the eye)

Noun

iris n (plural iriși)

1. (botany) iris (flower)

   Synonyms: stânjenel, stânjen

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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) Compare Irish iris.

Noun

iris f (genitive singular irise, plural irisean)

1. magazine, periodical

   Synonym: ràitheachan

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.

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Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin iris, Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈiɾis/

Noun

iris m (plural iris or iríses)

1. (anatomy) iris

Derived terms

• arco iris
• músculo dilatador del iris

Related terms

• íride
• iridio

Further reading

• “iris” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.