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 adjective

Examples of Irish in a Sentence

How many Irish are there in England?
Recent Examples on the Web Kate—whose grandfather served in the Royal Air Force—already had various other military titles, including Colonel of the Irish Guards and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the Air Cadets. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 11 Aug. 2023 Prince Edward's wife is now Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Irish Regiment. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 11 Aug. 2023 Height: 27 to 29 inches Weight: 80 to 150 pounds Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years 17 Irish Wolfhound The tallest of the breeds, calm and loving Irish Wolfhounds make wonderful friends to have around. Leigh Crandall, Country Living, 11 Aug. 2023 On the coffee side, the menu includes Americanos, cortados, macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes, Frappuccino, iced coffee, chai, hot chocolate and cold brew, along with cocktail collaborations like Irish Coffee, whiskey chai and coffee aged in bourbon barrels on site. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 10 Aug. 2023 The Galway Days Irish Festival is a downtown favorite. Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Aug. 2023 While the Tigers and Fighting Irish are set to square off against each other, Oklahoma State and St. Bonaventure will also see each other on Day 1. Ainslie Lee | Alee@al.com, al, 9 Aug. 2023 Lujack took over Bertelli’s unbeaten team, the Irish won the rest of their games and Bertelli, based on his six games alone, won the Heisman. Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2023 Her uncle, Jim McGuinness, is an Irish politician, according to the Irish Mirror. Town & Country, 30 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Irish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near Irish

Cite this Entry

“Irish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Irish. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

Irish

noun
1
Irish plural : the people of Ireland
2
: the Celtic language of Ireland
Irish adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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