iris

Everyday

1. The iris is the coloured ring in your eye around the black pupil; it gets bigger or smaller to control how much light goes into the eye. tree →
2. An iris is a tall garden flower with sword-shaped leaves and flowers often purple, blue, yellow or white. tree →
3. (a name) Iris is a girl's name; in Greek myths Iris was the goddess of the rainbow. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons about the eye, the iris and the pupil let in more light in the dark and less in bright light; eye colour is the colour of the iris. In nature and art, irises are flowers painted by Van Gogh. It also appears as a name. Phrases: «the iris of the eye», «blue irises».

Examples

• The iris is the coloured part of your eye. tree →
• In bright light, the iris makes the pupil smaller. tree →
• Her irises are green. tree →
• Purple irises grew by the pond. tree →
• Van Gogh painted a field of irises. tree →
• My great-aunt is called Iris. tree →
• The rainbow goddess Iris carried messages for the gods. tree →
• Iris is usually represented seated behind the chariot of Hera, ready to do the bidding of her royal mistress. tree →

Note

Countable: plural irises (sometimes «irides» in science). Pronounced «EYE-ris». The pupil is the black hole in the middle; the iris is around it — a common mix-up. The fleur-de-lis symbol is based on an iris.