Irish
pronunciation
How to pronounce Irish in British English:
UK [ˈaɪrɪʃ]
How to pronounce Irish in American English:
US [ ˈaɪrɪʃ]
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- Noun:
- people of Ireland or of Irish extraction
- whiskey made in Ireland chiefly from barley
- the Celtic language of Ireland
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- Adjective:
- of or relating to or characteristic of Ireland or its people
Word Origin
- Irish (n.)
- c. 1200, Irisce, from stem of Old English Iras "inhabitant of Ireland," from Old Norse irar, ultimately from Old Irish Eriu (accusative Eirinn, Erinn) "Erin," which is from Old Celtic *Iveriu (accusative *Iverionem, ablative *Iverione), perhaps from PIE *pi-wer- "fertile," literally "fat," from root *peie- "to be fat, swell" (see fat (adj.)). Meaning "temper, passion" is 1834, American English (first attested in writings of Davy Crockett), from the legendary pugnacity of Irish people. Irish-American is from 1832; Irish stew is attested from 1814; Irish coffee is from 1950. Wild Irish (late 14c.) originally were those not under English rule; Black Irish in reference to those of Mediterranean appearance is from 1888.
Example
- 1. Are the chinese more generous than the irish ?
- 2. Yet less than six months later , irish banks required 10 times that amount .
- 3. His irish father was one of ten children .
- 4. That 's a mode of expression that 's almost never appeared in irish literature and as such is a wonderful resource .
- 5. Irish bond yields soared in late 2010 .