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APG.American
Pronunciation Guide
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

iris

/ˈaɪ.ɹɪs/

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What does iris mean?

noun

  1. A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ).
  2. 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 ).
  3. A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.
More meanings (10)

noun

  1. A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.
  2. A constricted opening in the path inside a waveguide, used to form a resonator.
  3. The inner circle of an oscillated color spot.
  4. plural of IRI
  5. Acronym of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

verb

  1. To open or close in the manner of an iris.
  2. (literary) To cause (something) to shine with the colours of the rainbow; to make iridescent.

proper noun

  1. A messenger of the gods, and goddess of rainbows.
  2. A female given name from Ancient Greek; a flower name used since the end of the 19th century.
  3. 7 Iris, a main belt asteroid.
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Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈaɪ.ɹɪs/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

The colour of the iris is dark brown in 8 men and 4 women, medium in 7 men and light in 1.
Charles Hose; William McDougallThe Pagan Tribes of Borneo A Description of Their Physical Moral and Intellectual Condition, with Some Discussion of Their Ethnic RelationsProject Gutenberg ebook #3307
At the same time the Green engine was removed and two Iris engines of 45 horse-power were installed, each driving a single propeller.
George WhaleBritish Airships, Past, Present, and FutureProject Gutenberg ebook #762
More book examples (3)
Peonies, tuberous anemones, tuberous buttercups, iris, bleeding heart, and the like, may be planted in autumn and are often classed with fall-planted bulbs.
L. H. (Liberty Hyde) BaileyManual of Gardening (Second Edition) A Practical Guide to the Making of Home Grounds and the Growing of Flowers, Fruits, and Vegetables for Home UseProject Gutenberg ebook #9550
The delicate blue iris of their eyes, the sign of a fool-crow, has given place to the dark brown eye of the old stager.
Ernest Thompson SetonWild Animals I Have KnownProject Gutenberg ebook #3031
Simultaneously with their elimination disappear their signs in the iris and the disease symptoms which their presence had created in the organism.
Henry LindlahrNature Cure: Philosophy & Practice Based on the Unity of Disease & CureProject Gutenberg ebook #4273