Quick Definition
ἶρις, ιδος, ἡ n.f. a rainbow
Strong's Definition
perhaps from 2046 (as a symbol of the female messenger of the pagan deities); a rainbow ("iris")
KJV Usage: rainbow
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, f. | -ιδος
1.38 · Geographical Objects and Features · Atmospheric Objects
rainbow or halo a circular or semicircular band of light, whether colored or not In REV 4:3 and REV 10:1 (the only occurrences of ἶρις in the NT) the reference may be either to a rainbow or to a halo. The meaning of ‘rainbow’ may be expressed in some languages as ‘a bow of light’ or ‘a curve of light’ or even ‘a ribbon of light.’ The meaning of ‘halo’ is usually expressed as ‘a circle of light’ or ‘a wreath of light’ or ‘a band of light encircling,’ followed by the object which the band of light encircles.
1 It would also be possible to classify ἶρις rainbow or halo as being an event rather than an object, but in view of the relatively fixed Gestalt of this phenomenon, it is probably more satisfactory from the standpoint of an emic classification to regard ἶρις as an object.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἴρις, -ιδος, ἡ, (Iris), a rainbow: Rev.iv.3; x.1. (Hom., Aristot., Theophr., al.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἶρις iris 2x
a rainbow, iris, Rev. 4:3; 10:1*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἶρις, -ιδος, ἡ,
[in LXX: Ex 30:24 (קִדָּה)*, (קֶשֶׁת, Ge 9:13, Ez 1:28, is rendered by τόξον);]
Iris, the messenger of the gods.
a rainbow or halo: Re 4:3 10:1.
The plant Iris (cf. Ex 30:24).†
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἶρις (iris) — rainbow. Included with: Ἶρις, ιδος, ἡ, accusative Ἶριν, vocative Ἶρι:— “Iris”, the messenger of the gods among themselves, [Refs 8th c.BC+], compare ὠκέα Ἶρις [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II. as appellative, ἶρις, ἡ, genitive ἴριδος [Refs 4th c.BC+]; accusative ἶριν [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; Epic dialect dative plural ἴρισσιν (see. below):—rainbow, δράκοντες.., ἴρισσιν ἐοικότες, ἅς τε Κρονίων ἐν νέφεϊ στήριξε, τέρας μερόπων ἀνθρώπων [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II.2. any bright-coloured circle surrounding another body, as the lunar rainbow, [Refs 4th c.BC+]halo of candle, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; the iris of the eye, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; also, section through the ciliary region, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.3. iridescent garment, [Refs]
II.4. various species of the botanical genus iris, e.g. the purple Iris, I. germanica or pallida, εὐάνθεμον ἶριν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also, the white variety of it, I. florentina, from the rhizome of which the orris-root of commerce is made, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: in this sense some wrote it oxytone ἰρίς, ίδος, [Refs]
II.5. a precious stone, [Refs 1st c.AD+]