Irish

noun

ˈī-rish 

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

Lohan’s credits include Just My Luck (2006), Falling for Christmas (2022), Irish Wish (2024) and Our Little Secret (2024). — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026

Aneyas Williams carried 14 times for 80 yards with one TD as the Fighting Irish (4-0) produced a season-high 177 yards rushing. — CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026

Their daughter, Rocki Irish Mayers, was born that September, joining sons RZA, born in 2022, and Riot, born in 2023. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Depp asks in the trailer, his character sporting an Irish accent. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing Irish

• anti-Irish
• Irish bull
• Irish coffee
• Irish confetti
• Irish Gaelic
• Irish mail
• Irish moss
• Irish potato
• Irish setter
• Irish stew
• Irish terrier
• Irish water spaniel
• Irish whiskey
• Irish wolfhound
• Middle Irish
• Old Irish
• Scotch-Irish
• Scots-Irish

Kids Definition

Irish

noun

ˈī(ə)r-ish 

1

Irish plural : the people of Ireland

2

: the Celtic language of Ireland

Irish adjective