irish

IPA/ˈaɪə.rɪʃ/

KK[ˈaɪrɪʃ]IPA/ˈaɪə.rɪʃ/

irishpositive
more irishcomparative
most irishsuperlative

1.adjectiveA1

Definition

belonging or relating to the country of Ireland, the people who live there, or the Irish language.

Example

Maeve brought back some beautiful Irish wool sweaters from her trip to Dublin.

collocation: Irish wool sweaters / Irish linen

The pub near the station serves traditional Irish music every Friday night.

collocation: Irish music / Irish dance

Common collocations

Irish music
Irish culture
Irish accent
Irish countryside
Irish coffee
Irish stew
Irish linen
Irish setter

Synonyms

Hibernian
very formal or literary; rarely used in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

Irish + noun

Usage Note

Attributive only — placed before a noun. Not used predicatively (❌ 'The music is Irish' is grammatically possible but this sense describes the attributive use; the predicative form falls under a different reading).

Common Mistakes

I bought an Ireland wool sweater.

I bought an Irish wool sweater.

'Ireland' is the country name; 'Irish' is the adjective form needed before a noun.

IPA/ˈaɪrɪʃ/

KK[ˈaɪrɪʃ]IPA/ˈaɪrɪʃ/

1.nounA2

Definition

the people who come from Ireland, or the descendants of those people living in other countries.

Example

The Irish are known for their warm hospitality and love of storytelling.

pattern: the + Irish + plural verb

Many Irish emigrated to the United States during the Great Famine of the 1840s.

Common collocations

the Irish
Irish diaspora
Irish abroad
Irish community

Synonyms

Irish people
more neutral and descriptive; avoids collective noun feeling

Grammar Patterns

the + Irish

Irish + plural verb

Usage Note

Always takes a plural verb. 'The Irish' refers to the nation or ethnic group as a whole. For a single person, use 'an Irish person', 'an Irishman', or 'an Irishwoman'.

Common Mistakes

The Irish is very friendly.

The Irish are very friendly.

'The Irish' is a plural noun and requires a plural verb.

She is an Irish.

She is Irish.' or 'She is an Irish woman.

Do not use 'an Irish' alone as a singular noun for a person.

2.nounB1

Definition

the Celtic language that is one of the official languages of Ireland, also known as Irish Gaelic or Gaeilge.

Example

Shirin has been learning Irish at the community centre for the past six months.

collocation: learn Irish

All road signs in the Republic of Ireland are written in both English and Irish.

pattern: in + Irish (language medium)

Common collocations

speak Irish
learn Irish
in Irish
Irish speaker
Irish-language school

Synonyms

Irish Gaelic
more specific; used especially to distinguish from Scottish Gaelic
Gaeilge
the name of the language in Irish itself; sometimes used in English contexts

Grammar Patterns

speak + Irish

learn + Irish

in + Irish

Usage Note

Often called 'Irish Gaelic' in English to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, though native speakers typically just say 'Irish'. Avoid confusing with Hiberno-English (sense 3).

Common Mistakes

She speaks Irish, which is the English spoken in Ireland.

She speaks Irish, which is the Celtic language of Ireland.

'Irish' as a language name refers to Gaeilge, not Hiberno-English.

3.nounB2

Definition

the variety of English that is spoken in Ireland, which has its own vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation shaped by the Irish language.

Example

In Irish, people often say 'I'm after closing the door' instead of 'I just closed it.'

grammar pattern: 'after' for recent past action

Amira noticed that Irish uses the word 'craic' for fun or gossip, which you rarely hear in British English.

Common collocations

in Irish (English)
Irish English vocabulary
Irish dialect

Synonyms

Hiberno-English
the technical linguistic term; preferred in academic writing
Irish English
more informal alternative to Hiberno-English

Grammar Patterns

in + Irish (English)

Irish + verb pattern

Usage Note

Also called Hiberno-English. Distinguished from sense 2 by context: sense 3 refers to the English dialect spoken in Ireland, not the Irish language itself.

4.nounB1

Definition

a type of whiskey made in Ireland, typically smoother and triple-distilled, often simply called 'Irish' in bars and shops.

Example

Rodrigo poured himself a glass of Irish over ice after the long flight to Shannon.

pattern: glass of + Irish

The distillery tour showed how Irish is made from barley and pure spring water.

Common collocations

Irish whiskey
Irish coffee
glass of Irish
bottle of Irish

Synonyms

Irish whiskey
the full, formal name; avoids ambiguity

Grammar Patterns

drink + Irish

a glass/bottle of + Irish

Usage Note

Used as a shortened form of 'Irish whiskey'. The county form (❌ 'an Irish') is common in bar contexts. Usually uncountable, but countable when referring to a serving or brand.

Common Mistakes

I'll have an Irish whisky.

I'll have an Irish whiskey.

Irish whiskey is spelled with an 'e' (whiskey, not whisky), unlike Scotch whisky.

Word family

Ireland
nounA1
Irishman
nounB1
Irishwoman
nounB1
Irishness
nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three terms refer to the same Celtic language, but their usage differs by context and audience. 'Irish' is the everyday name used in Ireland and by most speakers — it is the shortest and most common form. 'Irish Gaelic' adds 'Gaelic' to avoid confusion with Scottish Gaelic or Hiberno-English; it is useful in international or academic settings where listeners may not assume 'Irish' refers to a language. 'Gaeilge' (pronounced GWAYL-gah) is the name of the language in Irish itself and is sometimes used in English by bilingual speakers or in cultural contexts. In practice: 'She speaks Irish' is fine 95% of the time; 'Irish Gaelic' is clearer for non-Irish audiences; 'Gaeilge' signals cultural affinity or precision.

Irish ↗Irish GaelicGaeilge

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

the Irish
Irish abroad

Prepositions

from Ireland
in Irish
of Ireland

Etymology

Old IrishOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'Irish' comes from Old English 'Irisc' or 'Irisc', which was formed from 'Iras' (the name for the Irish people) plus the suffix '-isc' (meaning 'belonging to'). The Old English 'Iras' itself came from the Old Irish word 'Ériu', the ancient name for Ireland. The modern spelling settled into 'Irish' by the early Middle English period.

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irish

irish — adjective

1. belonging or relating to the country of Ireland, the people who live there, or t

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

irish — noun

1. the people who come from Ireland, or the descendants of those people living in o

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. the Celtic language that is one of the official languages of Ireland, also known

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. the variety of English that is spoken in Ireland, which has its own vocabulary,

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

4. a type of whiskey made in Ireland, typically smoother and triple-distilled, ofte

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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