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 Irish nearly doubled up Stephen F. Austin in their first-round matchup, 106-54. —Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025

The 32-year-old podcast host and wife of NFL alum Jason Kelce, 37, shared on Instagram that Baloo, their beloved Irish Wolfhound, has died. —Karen Fratti, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025

According to the Irish constitution, to stand in the country's presidential election a potential candidate must have the support of at least 20 members of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) or at least four of the 31 city and county councils. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025

With the Fighting Irish set to tip off against Stephen F. Austin in their first-round March Madness matchup, Hidalgo is ready to lead her team and add another chapter to her standout freshman season. —Nasha Smith, Forbes, 21 Mar. 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