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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Texas, UConn and LSU all moved up a spot to follow the Fighting Irish. Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025 The University of Miami men’s basketball team rallied from down 11 points at halftime to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 63-57, Saturday night at the Watsco Center. Al Diaz, Miami Herald, 2 Feb. 2025 The Brutalist emerged victorious in a tight contest that saw Edward Berger’s Vatican thriller Conclave take two awards for British/Irish Film of the Year and Actor of the Year for star Ralph Fiennes. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 2 Feb. 2025 Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997, and Lord Louis Mountbatten, the late Queen Elizabeth's second cousin, was killed in an Irish Republican Army terrorist bombing in Ireland in 1979. Brie Stimson, Fox News, 2 Feb. 2025 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 Feb. 2025.

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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