See Also: Iris(medicine)
Iris(health)
iris(dictionary)
iris(dictionary)
iris diseases(medicine)
iris freckles(medicine)
iris frill(medicine)
iris neoplasms(medicine)
iris pits(medicine)
tremulous iris(medicine)

iris (iou)



iris noun & verb. LME.
[Latin from Greek iris, irid- rainbow, iris.]
A. noun. Pl. irises, (esp. sense 4a) irides .
A variety of quartz (formerly, any mineral) producing iridescent reflections. LME.
Any plant of the large genus Iris (family Iridaceae), widespread in the northern hemisphere, members of which are characteristically tuberous or bulbous with sword-shaped equitant leaves and showy blooms; a plant of any of several related genera. Also, a flower of such a plant. LME.
bearded iris, Florentine iris, Japanese iris, mourning iris, peacock iris, snake's head iris, stinking iris, etc.
A rainbow, esp. (freq. Iris) personified; a many-coloured refraction of light from drops of water; a rainbow-like or iridescent appearance; a coloured halo; a combination of brilliant colours. poet. L15.
Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida His crest, that prouder than blue Iris bends. fig.: Shelley If Liberty Lent not life its soul of light, Hope its iris of delight.
b. (Iris.) Greek Mythology. The goddess of the rainbow, who acted as the messenger of the gods; fig. a messenger. L16.
a. Anatomy & Zoology. A flat circular coloured membrane suspended vertically in the aqueous humour of the eye, and separating the anterior from the posterior chamber, having within its centre an opening (the pupil) which varies so as to control the amount of light reaching the retina. E16.
b. Photography & Cinematography. In full iris diaphragm. An adjustable diaphragm of thin overlapping plates for regulating the size of a control hole, esp. for admitting light to a lens or lens system. Also, the action or an act of irising. M19.
K. Reisz An iris may..introduce..a shot in a more telling way than a fade. Scientific American The lens was too fast.., and so he stopped it down to f9 with a cardboard iris.
b. verb intrans. Photography & Cinematography. Operate or act (in the manner of) an iris diaphragm. Chiefly foll. by in (or out): fade in a picture from the centre of the frame outwards (or from the edges inwards). M20.
irisate verb trans. (rare) make iridescent E19.
iri'sation noun the process of making iridescent; iridescence: M19.