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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
But Burchard’s inflammatory alliteration proved especially damaging by dampening enthusiasm for Blaine in New York among disaffected Democrats and Irish Catholic voters, Summers and historian Robert D. Marcus conclude. Robert B. Mitchell / Made By History, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024 While Notre Dame has a scheduling agreement with the ACC, the Fighting Irish will have much to say about who plays for the American Athletic Conference championship and possibly which non-power conference team makes the playoff. Tom Layberger, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 Bad Sisters also has been recognized by the WGA, the Critics Choice Awards, the Royal Television Society and the Irish Film and Television Awards. Denise Petski, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2024 The Irish Republican Brotherhood, founded in the late nineteenth century, was a secret society devoted to the establishment—through violent rebellion—of an independent Ireland. The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Irish 

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 8 Nov. 2024.

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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