irido-, irid-, iri-, iris- +

(Greek: iris [relating to the eye]; the rainbow; colored circle, colored portion of the eye [originally, "something bent or curved"])

iridescence
1. The condition of gleaming with bright and changing colors; iridescent.
2. A lustrous rainbow-like play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves (as from an oil slick, soap bubble, or fish scales) that tends to change as the angle of view changes.
3. A condition of color marked by changing the hue and metallic sheen.

It is produced by the reflection and refraction of different lengths of light waves on the apparently colored surfaces. The effect is seen in certain birds, fish, and reptiles.

iridescent
1. Having rainbow colors that appear to move and change as the angle at which they are seen changes.
2. Having a lustrous or brilliant appearance.
3. Having a rainbow-like display of colors in reflected light; such as, in mother-of-pearl; also a reference to a colony of microorganisms.
iridesis, iridodesis
1. Ligature (filament or thread used to tie something) of a portion of the iris brought out through a surgical incision in the cornea.
2. Repositioning of the pupil of the eye by fixation of a sector of iris in a corneal or limbal incision.
3. Iris inclusion surgery for glaucoma, in which the iris is interposed in a corneoscleral (cornea and white outer coat of the eyeball) incision to block its closure.
iridiagnosis, iridodiagnosis
The diagnosis of disease by the appearance of the iris, its color, markings, changes, etc.
iridic (adjective) (not comparable)
Referring or relating to the iris of the eye.
iridium
1. Iridium, Ir 192, an artificial radioactive isotope with a half-life of 75 days, used in radiotherapy.
2. A very hard and brittle, exceptionally corrosion-resistant, whitish-yellow metallic element occurring in platinum ores and used principally to harden platinum and in high-temperature materials, electrical contacts, and wear-resistant bearings.
3. Etymology: from 1804, Modern Latin, coined by its discoverer, English chemist Smithson Tennant (1761-1815) from Greek iris, "rainbow"; so called for the varying color of its compounds.

More information is located at Chemical Element: iridium.

iridization
1. The dispersion of light by corneal edema, resulting in the perception of colored halos around lights.
2. The subjective perception of iridescent halos around lights, occurring in glaucoma.
iridize, iridise (British); iridizing
1. To make iridescent; as, to iridize glass.
2. To point or tip with iridium; such as, a gold pen.
iridocapsulitis
Inflammation of the iris and the lens capsule.
iridocapsulotomy
Surgical excision of a portion of the iris and the adherent lens capsule.
iridochoroiditis
Inflammation of the iris and the choroid (middle layer of the vertebrate eye, between the retina and the sclera (white outer coat of the eyeball).
iridocorneosclerectomy
Surgical excision of a portion of the iris, cornea, and sclera (white outer coat of the eyeball) for glaucoma.
iridocystectomy
The surgical creation of an artificial pupil in which the border of the iris and a portion of the lens capsule are drawn out through an incision in the cornea and cut off.
iridocyte
A specialized cell occurring in fish scales.

It contains crystalline guanin which breaks light into a spectrum of colors and produces iridescence.

iridodiagnosis
Diagnosis of disease by the appearance of the iris, its color, markings, changes, etc.

Related references to "eye" or "eye part" word families: blepharo-; core-; corneo-; eye, eyes; lenti-, lens-; lenticulo-; ocelli-; oculo-; op-, -optic; ophthalmo-; phaco-; pupillo-; retino-; uveo-.