Irides

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɪɹɪˌdiz/

Definitions

1. Colors that appear to change or shift depending on the angle of light
2. a phenomenon where surfaces display a spectrum of colors similar to a rainbow
3. the visual effect caused by light interacting with microscopic structures, creating vibrant hues

Etymology: The plural "irides" belongs to "iris," and the most surprising thing is that the eye's colored ring and the rainbow share a single Greek word. In ancient Greek, "îris" meant "rainbow," and the same word was used for any brightly colored circle, such as the ring around the eyes of a peacock's tail. The colored part of the eye took the name for that reason: it is the part that gives color to the eye. The word reached English through Latin "īris," and it entered Middle English in the form "iris." Its deeper origin is uncertain. Some scholars suspect an earlier form beginning with a lost "w" sound, possibly linked to a root meaning "a twist, thread, cord, wire," which would make it a relative of the English word "wire." That link remains a suggestion rather than settled fact. Because "iris" is a Latin-form noun ending in -is, its plural keeps the Greek-Latin pattern and becomes "irides," the form used in scientific and medical writing.

Synonyms: rainbow, iris