iris

Definition

• n. plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
• n. muscular diaphragm that controls the size of the pupil which in turn controls the amount of light that enters the eye; it forms the colored portion of the eye
• n. diaphragm consisting of thin overlapping plates that can be adjusted to change the diameter of a central opening

Word forms

Plural

irises

Example sentences

1. n.

   The iris of her eye was a striking shade of green.

2. n.

   The camera's iris adjusts to control the amount of light entering the lens.