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Iris vs Maroon - What's the difference?

iris | maroon |

As a proper noun iris

is (female given name).

As a noun maroon is

an escaped negro slave of the caribbean and the americas or a descendant of escaped slaves or maroon can be a dark red, somewhat brownish, color or maroon can be (nautical) a rocket fired to summon the crew of a lifeboat or maroon can be (slang|derogatory) an idiot; a fool.

As an adjective maroon is

associated with maroon culture, communities or peoples or maroon can be of a maroon color.

As a verb maroon is

to abandon in a remote, desolate place, as on a deserted island.

iris

English

("iris" on Wikipedia)

Noun

(See Usage notes)
  • (lb) A plant of the genus Iris , common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms ().
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • (lb) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, which adjusts to control the amount of light reaching the retina, and which forms the colored portion of the eye ().
  • A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.
  • (lb) A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.
  • (lb) A constricted opening in the path inside a waveguide, used to form a resonator.

    • Usage notes

    For the part of the eye, the usual medical plural is irides.
    For the flower both iris'' and ''irises are in common use.

    Quotations

    plural iris {{timeline, 1900s=1989
    1996, 2000s=2004}} * 1989, Ann Lovejoy, The Year in Bloom [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=B2WnTx8ZSXoC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&sig=kTR265orMNqHigdpkspkvz5gF8c] *: Is there anything more spectacular than the bearded iris in their short season? * 1996, Katherine Grace Endicott, Northern California Gardening [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=2Orl1AcbaT4C&pg=PA138&lpg=PA138&sig=sRNZY7Jc53QpEqCrkaHoFKHx7_g] *: Tall bearded iris are in bloom now. * 2004, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, A Garden for Life [http://print.google.com/print?id=0sPBOVSC2MUC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&sig=bEEefwPluRvCp36e6pF5AkExCKk] *: The bulbous iris are important because their early flowers provide a food source for bees and early flying insects. plural irides {{timeline, 1800s=1843, 1900s=1989, 2000s=2001}} * 1843, The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge *: In colour the irides are straw-yellow, the pupils black; forehead, nape, and back, very dark bluish-black; [...] * 1989, Robert S Ridgely, The Birds of South America [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=tRBb15pk4w0C&pg=RA1-PA374&lpg=RA1-PA374&sig=PZFkFg4LIlBDqSgZ7Z7DnYYha6M] *: As in the caciques, bills are sharply pointed and pale, while irides are usually pale blue. * 2001, John V Forrester et al., The Eye [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=CTltcMRq8_QC&pg=PA121&lpg=PA121&sig=oUK2_xiWqgcZ-USI7UBo0HxuBy4] *: Later in life brown irides are the result of heavily pigmented melanocytes within the stroma. plural irises {{timeline, 1900s=1987
    2000, 2000s=2002}} * 1987, Pamela Harper, Frederick McGourty, Perennials [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=Mi5_h7ryCi0C&pg=PA109&lpg=PA109&sig=8_7tj1vGAjqwhPowAsYKQyL0QE8] *: Tall bearded irises are easy to grow but not always easy to grow well. * 2000, Kevin C Voughn, Louisiana Iris [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=4-T1HH-X1_sC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&sig=D957MQkQUZqTgY7ex8mGf0R6Wa4] *: Most iris lovers feel that Louisiana irises are now large enough. * 2002, John E Bryan, Bulbs [http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&id=v-h4dovkqxgC&pg=PA296&lpg=PA296&sig=Oj6ubuGG706mBqxu_tKlzU90Q-0] *: All these irises are sold as dry, dormant bulbs in fall.

    Derived terms

    * iridal * iridial * iridian * iridium * iridocyclitis * iridology * Iris (proper name) * iritis

    See also

    * *

    Verb

  • To open or close in the manner of an iris.
    • English nouns with irregular plurals ----

    maroon

    English

    Etymology 1

    Derived from the American-Spanish , meaning “fugitive,” “wild”, “untamed”.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An escaped slave of the Caribbean and the Americas or a descendant of escaped slaves.
  • A castaway; a person who has been marooned.

    • Adjective

    (-)
  • Associated with Maroon culture, communities or peoples.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To abandon in a remote, desolate place, as on a deserted island.

    • Derived terms

    * marooner

    External links

    * A good short account of the "Bush Negroes" in Suriname

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A dark red, somewhat brownish, color.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of a maroon color

    • See also

    *

    Etymology 3

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) A rocket fired to summon the crew of a lifeboat.

    • Etymology 4

    From an intentional mispronunciation of the word (moron) used by the cartoon character .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang, derogatory) An idiot; a fool.
  • * 2011 , S. Watts Taylor, Tarnish , iUniverse (2011), ISBN 9781462002023, page 21:
    • At least, I would not be sleeping that night. Why did I have that espresso? What a maroon !
    Synonyms
    * See also . * See also .

    Anagrams

    * English terms with multiple etymologies