Word Study
irish
CIDE DICTIONARY
Of or pertaining to Ireland or to its inhabitants; produced in Ireland. [1913 Webster]
irish, n. sing. & pl.
- The natives or inhabitants of Ireland, esp. the Celtic natives or their descendants. [1913 Webster]
- The language of the Irish; also called
Irish Gaelic or theHiberno-Celtic . [1913 Webster] - An old game resembling backgammon. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
irish, adj. & n.
--adj. of or relating to Ireland; of or like its people.
--n.
1 the Celtic language of Ireland.
2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Ireland.
--adj. of or relating to Ireland; of or like its people.
--n.
1 the Celtic language of Ireland.
2 (prec. by the; treated as pl.) the people of Ireland.
Idiom
Irish bull = BULL(3). Irish coffee coffee mixed with a dash of whisky and served with cream on top. Irish moss dried carrageen. Irish Sea the sea between England and Wales and Ireland. Irish stew a stew of mutton, potato, and onion. Irish terrier a rough-haired light reddish-brown breed of terrier.
Etymology
ME f. OE Iras the Irish
ROGET THESAURUS
irish
Inhabitant
N inhabitant, resident, residentiary, dweller, indweller, addressee, occupier, occupant, householder, lodger, inmate, tenant, incumbent, sojourner, locum tenens, commorant, settler, squatter, backwoodsman, colonist, islander, denizen, citizen, burgher, oppidan, cockney, cit, townsman, burgess, villager, cottager, cottier, cotter, compatriot, backsettler, boarder, hotel keeper, innkeeper, habitant, paying guest, planter, native, indigene, aborigines, autochthones, Englishman, John Bull, newcomer, aboriginal, American, Caledonian, Cambrian, Canadian, Canuck, downeaster, Scot, Scotchman, Hibernian, Irishman, Welshman, Uncle Sam, Yankee, Brother Jonathan, garrison, crew, population, people, colony, settlement, household, mir, indigenous, native, natal, autochthonal, autochthonous, British, English, American, Canadian, Irish, Scotch, Scottish, Welsh, domestic, domiciliated, domiciled, naturalized, vernacular, domesticated, domiciliary, in the occupation of, garrisoned by, occupied by.For further exploring for "irish" in Webster Dictionary Online