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Glite Dictionary
Iris virginica

Iris virginica

9.3
A plant with blue or violet flowers that grows in wet places in the eastern United States
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Iris virginica
  • Gardeners prize Iris virginica for its vivid blue flowers and easy maintenance.

Examples

  • The wetlands were filled with blooming Iris virginica in early summer.

  • Botanists observed that Iris virginica thrives in moist, open habitats.

  • The Iris virginica blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Have you seen the Iris virginica at the botanical garden?

  • The wetlands were filled with blooming Iris virginica in early summer.

  • Gardeners prize Iris virginica for its vivid blue flowers and easy maintenance.

  • Botanists observed that Iris virginica thrives in moist, open habitats.

Synonyms

southern blue flag
vsIris virginica
  • US
9.9

A tall plant like an iris with blue-violet flowers that grows in wet places in the eastern United States

is the scientific name for the same species used in formal contexts

How Blue

Iris versicolor
  • Specialized
8.3
Iris virginica
  • Specialized
9.3
Iris pallida
  • Specialized
8.2

Surface Forms

Iris virginica singular
Iris virginicas plural

Morphology

iris + virginica

The first constituent 'iris' transparently indicates a flower so a learner will know this refers to a kind of iris, but 'virginica' is a Latin species epithet (effectively a proper name meaning roughly 'from Virginia') and is not a productive English word a B1 learner would know. Because the genus gives a clear clue but the species epithet requires taxonomic/Latin knowledge to derive the precise meaning, the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Iris virginica combines Iris, a word for a rainbow-like flower, and virginica, meaning 'from Virginia'. So the name points to a blue or violet iris that comes from the eastern United States, matching the plant's colour and home.