noun
iris
EYE-rihs
noun
1
The coloured ring of muscle around the pupil of the eye that controls how much light gets in.
"Her iris was a striking shade of green."
"The doctor shone a light in his eye to check how the iris reacted."
2
A garden plant with tall, sword-shaped leaves and large, often purple or yellow flowers.
"A row of purple irises bloomed along the garden fence."
How to Use Iris
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the coloured part of the eye, or a tall flowering garden plant — same word, two common meanings.
Common pairings
iris colour
iris scan
blooming iris
Word Forms
irised past tense, irises plural, iris plural, irides plural, irises singular
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Her _____ was a striking shade of green.
Etymology
From Latin īris, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (îris, "rainbow") — the eye and flower senses both nod to the range of colours involved.