EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). This is a truly amazing story, based on research by journalist Dimitris Symeonides. It refers to the etymology of “iridescent,” in Greek, “ιριδίζον.” In short here is the story:
Light as electromagnetic energy has a large impact when struck on a surface. When
When light is reflected back, it emits a variety of colors and angles. Two such ways to reflect light back are Pearlescence and iridescence
Pearlescence Iridescence
How a Greek goddess gave us the word “iridescent”
The word iridescent is more of a swirl of different colors. The Cambridge Dictionary gives
the definition “shows many bright colors that change with the movement.” The best examples are found in her movement of nature – the bright shine on a kingfisher’s wings, the pearl’s luster, and the luster of light caught in the wings of a dragonfly.
The origin of the word is easier to trace rather than from her visual image. The Iridescent
first used in English in the 1700s to describe anything that was rainbow-colored.
It was coined from the Latin word iris (rainbow), although we don’t know who exactly found it. Iris is also used in English for a family of beautiful flowers and the colored part of the eye. It is always associated with bright colors. This association does not come from Latin; it is one of those given by the Greeks. Iris was the messenger of Hera, the queen of the Greek gods. She was the personification of the rainbow, and the iris means rainbow in Greek (and Latin, as previously mentioned).
Iris was traveling along her rainbow with the speed of the wind to bring messages to earth.
She had golden wings to help her on her way. No wonder he traveled at his speed wind as she married Zephyrus, the God of the west wind. At the behest of Zeus, Iris carried a pitcher of water from the river Styx, the souls of the river cross to enter the realm of Hades. They used to put to sleep those who witnessed him themselves.
Please follow the link to read Dimitris Symeonides’s full 33-page essay. Although part of it is in English, please use Google Translate. This is an example of the priceless heritage of the Greek language and culture passed on to the West. DIMITRIS SYMEONIDES – ETYMOLOGY OF IRIDESCENCE
