Iris
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the acronym, see IRIS.
Iris has three main meanings, related by their derivation from the Greek word for rainbow:
- Iris (mythology), a messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, identified with the rainbow
- Iris (anatomy), the sphincter around the pupil of the eye, named after the colors in human and animal eyes
- Iris (plant), a genus of flowering plants, named after the rainbow
[edit] Terms derived from the three main meanings
In science:
- Iris (insect), an insect of the praying mantis family, in the subfamily Mantinae
- 7 Iris, an asteroid named after the mythological figure
- Hurricane Iris and Typhoon Iris, tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and the Western Pacific.
In technology:
- Diaphragm (optics), a mechanical device, found in cameras, which mimics the function of the biological iris
- Iris (diaphragm), any such mechanical device, as used in doors, pipes, and electrical engineering
- Iris (color), an ambiguous color term, ranging from blue-violet to violet, derived from the flower
In transportation:
- HMS Iris, Six historical warships of the British Royal Navy
- USS Iris, any of several ships in the US Navy that have been named after the mythological figure
- The Abraham Iris, a touring plane built in France before World War II
In the arts:
- Irises (painting), a painting of iris flowers, by Vincent Van Gogh
- Iris (opera), an opera by Pietro Mascagni
- Iris print, an early name for a giclée print
In popular culture:
- A feminine name, derived from either the myth, the flower, or the word "rainbow" itself
- Iris (2001 film), about Iris Murdoch
- Iris magazine, a Dutch comic magazine
- IRIS (Romanian band), a hard-rock band
- Iris (band), a Texas-based synthpop band
- Iris (British/French band), an instrumental rock band
- Iris (album), a 2004 electronic music album by Rosy Parlane
- "Iris" (song), a song by The Goo Goo Dolls from the film City of Angels
- Iris (Stargate), a fictional device in the television show Stargate SG-1
- Iris, a fictional queen in Piers Anthony's Xanth novels
- Iris (Mega Man), a fictional character in Mega Man X4
In business:
- Iris Associates, the company which developed Lotus Notes
- Iris Fund for Prevention of Blindness
- Iris (Management Festival), the annual management festival of Indian Institute of Management Indore
[edit] See also
- IRIS, an acronym
- Iris recognition, a biometric technology for identifying individuals by the pattern of their iris
- Iridescence, a term derived from the mythological figure
- Orris root, an herbal medicine using the root of the iris plant
- Iridology, a form of alternative medicine focused on the eye
[edit] References
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