English
Iris
Iris comes from Ancient Greek Ἶρις ‘rainbow’, and goes back to Proto-Hellenic *wī́ris.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wī́risreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἾριςÎris‘rainbow’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605Iris
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wī́risreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἾριςÎris‘rainbow’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605Iris
Earliest quotation: c. 1604–1605, William Shakespeare, All’s Well, that Ends Well: “What's the matter, That this distemper'd messenger of wet,…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek Ἶρις ‘rainbow’
Today it means
name A messenger of the gods, and goddess of rainbows.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *wī́ris / Iris