Search the Dictionary

The goddess of the rainbow, and swift-footed messenger of the gods. Shak.

An adjustable diaphragm, suggesting the iris of the eye in its action, for regulating the aperture of a lens, consisting of a number of thin pieces fastened to a ring. It is used in cameras and microscopes.

Exhibiting the prismatic colors; irised; iridescent. W. Phillips.

A philosophical toy for exhibiting the prismatic tints by means of thin films.

Having colors like those of the rainbow; iridescent. Holmes.

Of or pertaining to Ireland or to its inhabitants; produced in Ireland. Irish elk. (Zoöl.) See under Elk. -- Irish moss. (a) (Bot.) Carrageen. (b) A preparation of the same made into a blanc mange. -- Irish poplin. See Poplin. -- Irish potato, the ordinary white potato, so called because it is a favorite article of…

A native of Ireland who has become an American citizen; also, a child or descendant of such a person.

A mode of speaking peculiar to the Irish; an Hibernicism.

A man born in Ireland or of the Irish race; an Hibernian. Irishman's hurricane (Naut.), a dead calm. -- Irishman's reef. (Naut.) See Irish reef, under Irish, a.

The Celtic people of Ireland. "The whole Irishry of rebels." Milton.

Relating to, or resulting from, experience, or experiment; following from empirical methods or data; -- opposed to nativistic.

Tolerably fair. [Colloq.] W. D. Howells.

Same as Garish, Garishly, Garishness.

A supposed primitive state of society, in which all the women of a tribe were held in common. H. Spencer. -- Het`a*ris"tic, a.

A writer of memoirs.

One of the principal divinities of Egypt, the brother and husband of Isis. He was figured as a mummy wearing the royal cap of Upper Egypt, and was symbolized by the sacred bull, called Apis. Cf. Serapis. -- O*sir"i*an, a.

A chorister. See Chorister. [R.] Thomson.

One who satirizes; especially, one who writes satire. The mighty satirist, who . . . had spread through the Whig ranks. Macaulay.

Belief in the existence of vampires.

The theories or practice of Voltaire. J. Morley.