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

The Princess of Wales was in a prominent position as Colonel of the Irish Guards, another Household Division regiment involved in the pageantry. —Janine Henni, People.com, 14 June 2025

Despite losing the final game of the regular season to the arch-rival Michigan Wolverines, the Buckeyes were able to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers, Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, and finally the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win it all. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025

Or take one of several more strenuous trails which cut through the Irish Hills. —AFAR Media, 13 June 2025

The Irish came out swinging, scoring twice in the first inning and adding another in the fourth for a 3-0 lead. —Dave Wright, Twin Cities, 12 June 2025

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