orris

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

noun German iris having large white flowers with lavender-tinged falls and a fragrant rhizome
noun fragrant rootstock of various irises especially Florentine iris; used in perfumes and medicines

Probably from iris, although the alteration of the vowel is unexplained.

Oh, her bed perfumed with orris! — Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant, Guy de Maupassant
In all the world there's no perfume that can compare with the perfume of a White Iris!--Orris root they call it. — Fairy Prince and Other Stories, Eleanor Hallowell Abbott
I caught the hands and crushed them against my lips, the rosy fingers that smelled of orris, and the polished nails like pink jewels. — The Car of Destiny, C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson

Florentine iris, Iris germanica florentina, Iris florentina

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