IRA

1 of 2

noun

ˌī-(ˌ)är-ˈā  ˈī-rə 

plural IRAs

: a retirement savings account in which income taxes on certain deposits and on all gains are deferred until withdrawals are made

IRA

2 of 2

abbreviation

Irish Republican Army

Examples of IRA in a Sentence

Abbreviation

a representative of the IRA

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This also applies with an inherited IRA, which enables rebalancing to your target allocation by trading investments inside the inherited IRA, rather than selling in a taxable brokerage account that creates a capital-gains tax bill. — Paula Thielen, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

They were joined by veterans of a different sort, Brendan Behan and Tony McInerney, out of the IRA. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026

But at least 32,000 people have amassed more than $10 million in workplace and individual retirement accounts like a Roth IRA, which can grow without taxes due on the earnings, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 Aug. 2026

For one, there are more investment options to choose from in an IRA relative to a 401(k). — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

initialism from individual retirement account or individual retirement arrangement

First Known Use

Noun

1974, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for IRA

• lyra
• spirogyra

Legal Definition

IRA

noun

ˌī-ˌär-ˈā, ˈī-rə 

: an account in which a person may deposit up to a stipulated amount each year and that is not taxable until retirement or early withdrawal

Note: Deposits to an IRA may not be completely or partially deductible from adjusted gross income if one's income exceeds a set level.

Etymology

Noun

individual retirement account