A History of Short Words

From the New York Times Crossword Puzzle

IRIS

Tue, 3 Oct '23
Bluish-purple flower
Thu, 6 Jul '23
Pupil's surrounding
Thu, 6 Apr '23
Part of the eye
Fri, 23 Dec '22
Good name for a florist or optometrist
Sun, 23 Oct '22
Purplish blue
Fri, 12 Aug '22
Messenger for the gods in the "Iliad"
Wed, 1 Jun '22
Biometric scan identifier, maybe
Sun, 8 May '22
Eye piece
Wed, 9 Mar '22
Good name for an ophthalmologist
Sun, 20 Feb '22
It surrounds a pupil
Tue, 17 Aug '21
Tall purple flower
Wed, 10 Feb '21
Blue-violet shade