From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
v.0.48:  Iris \I"ris\, 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.       [1913 Webster]     2. The rainbow. --Sir T.
Browne.       [1913 Webster]     3. An appearance resembling the
rainbow; a prismatic play of       colors. --Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]     4. (Anat.) The contractile membrane
perforated by the pupil,       and forming the colored portion
of the eye. See Eye.       [1913 Webster]     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.       [1913 Webster]     6. (Her.) See Fleur-de-
lis, 2.       [1913 Webster]     7. (Zool.) the inner circle of
an oscillated color spot.