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(), n.; pl. E. Irises (), L. Irides (). [L. iris, iridis, the goddess, Gr. , , the rainbow, iris of the eye, the plant Iris. Cf. Orris.] 1. (Class. Myth.) The goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods. Shak. 2. The rainbow. Sir T. Browne. 3. An appearance resembling the rainbow; a prismatic play of colors. Tennyson. 4. (Anat.) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, and forming the colored portion of the eye. See Eye. 5. (Bot.) 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. (Her.) See Fleur-de-lis, 2. I"ris n.(Zol.) Inner circle of an oscillated color spot. スポンサード リンク
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