Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
iridescent
iridic (1)
iridic (2)
iridium
irido-
iridology
iridosmine
iridotomy
iris
iris diaphragm
iris in
iris out
Irish
Irish coffee
Irish elk
Irish English
Irish Gaelic
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "iris" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

iris

i·ris [ riss ] (plural i·ris·es)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. part of eye: the colored part of the eye that consists of a muscular diaphragm surrounding the pupil and regulates the light entering the eye by expanding and contracting the pupil

2. flowering plant: a plant with long sword-shaped leaves. Flowers: many-colored. Genus Iris.

3.  ( literary )
Same as  rainbown (sense 1)


4. rainbow show of colors: a show of colors of various hues, like a rainbow

5. photog 
Same as  iris diaphragm


[15th century. Via Latin< Greek, "rainbow, iris (of the eye)"]
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Shopping
© 2009 Microsoft