ETYM Latin iris, iridis, the goddess, Greek iris, the rainbow, iris of the eye, the plant Iris. Related to Orris.
Plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals; SYN. flag, fleur-de-lis, sword lily.
In botany, perennial northern temperate flowering plants of the genus Iris, family Iridaceae. The leaves are usually sword-shaped; the purple, white, or yellow flowers have three upright inner petals and three outward-and downward-curving sepals. The wild yellow iris is called flag.