Iris is an ambiguous color term, usually referring to shades ranging from blue-violet to violet.

However, in certain applications, it has been applied to an even wider array of colors, including pale blue, mauve, pink, and even yellow (the color of the inner part of the iris flower).

The name is derived from the iris flower

Iris (plant)

Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...

, which comes in a broad spectrum of colors.

The first recorded use of iris as a color name in English was in the year 1916.