Definition of IRIS

iris

Plural: irides, iris, irises

Noun

  • The colored part of the eye, or a type of flowering plant.
  • plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
  • 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
  • diaphragm consisting of thin overlapping plates that can be adjusted to change the diameter of a central opening
  • A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia).
  • 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).
  • 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

Verb Forms: irised, irising, irises

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

Examples

  • The beautiful IRIS in her garden inspired a nature-themed winning word in Words With Friends.
  • The light IRISES the tile letters, making them shimmer with potential plays.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English [Term?], from Latin īris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, “rainbow”). Presuming an earlier form *ϝῖρις (*wîris), possibly from a derivative of Proto-Indo-European *w(e)ih₁-ro- (“a twist, thread, cord, wire”), from *weh₁y- (“to turn, twist, weave, plait”). If so, it would be cognate to English wire.

Synonyms

flag, fleur-de-lis, iris diaphragm, sword lily, iridize

Scrabble Score: 4

iris: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
iris: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
iris: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 4

iris: valid Words With Friends Word