orris

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: or=ris

CIDE DICTIONARY

orris, n. [Prob. corrupted from It. ireos iris. See Iris.].

 A plant of the genus Iris (Iris Florentina); a kind of flower-de-luce. Its rootstock has an odor resembling that of violets.  [1913 Webster]

Orris pea (Med.), an issue pea made from orris root. -- Orris root, the fragrant rootstock of the orris.

orris, n. 

•  A sort of gold or silver lace.  Johnson.  [1913 Webster]
•  A peculiar pattern in which gold lace or silver lace is worked; especially, one in which the edges are ornamented with conical figures placed at equal distances, with spots between them.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

orris, n.
1 any plant of the genus Iris, esp. I. florentina.
2 = ORRISROOT.

Idiom

orris-powder powdered orrisroot.

Etymology

16th c.: app. an unexpl. alt. of IRIS