Irish

noun

ˈī-rish How to pronounce Irish (audio)
1
plural in construction : natives or inhabitants of Ireland or their descendants especially when of Celtic speech or culture
2
a
: the Celtic language of Ireland especially as used since the later medieval period
b
: English spoken by the Irish
3
: irish whiskey
Irish adjective

Examples of Irish in a Sentence

How many Irish are there in England?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An Irish Pub Draws a Martini Crowd: T.J. Byrnes, a low-key bar in the financial district of Manhattan, has survived Sept. 11, Hurricane Sandy and Covid lockdowns. — Meghan McCarron Phil Donohue, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 In a statement to the Irish Star this week, USA Fencing said that Turner’s conduct violated rules for competition set by the International Fencing Federation (FIE). — Samantha Riedel, Them., 3 Apr. 2025 The Irish have the No.19 recruit in the country coming in next season in five star forward Leah Macy. — Allison Smith, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 The Irish Whiskey Association said the order could undo years of growth. — Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Irish

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English *Īrisc, from Īras Irishmen, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish Ériu Ireland

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Irish was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing Irish

Browse Nearby Words

iris green
Irish
Irish alphabet
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Irish. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

Irish

noun
ˈī(ə)r-ish How to pronounce Irish (audio)
1
Irish plural : the people of Ireland
2
: the Celtic language of Ireland
Irish adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
kestrel
Name That Bird Quiz Are you as wise as an owl or just another birdbrain?
See All