Iris
Iris , noun
[Latin iris, iridis, the goddess, Greek {not transcribed}, {not transcribed}, the rainbow, iris of the eye, the plant Iris. Compare Orris.]
1.
(Class. Mythology) The goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods. — Shakespeare
2.
The rainbow. — Sir T. Browne
3.
An appearance resembling the rainbow; a prismatic play of colors. — Tennyson
4.
(Anatomy) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, and forming the colored portion of the eye. See Eye.
5.
(Botany) 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.
(Heraldry) See Fleur-de-lis, 2.
7.
(Zoology) the inner circle of an oscillated color spot.
8.
same as iris diaphragm.