Cornish

American  

[kawr-nish] / ˈkɔr nɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Cornwall, England, its inhabitants, or the Cornish language.

---

noun

1. the Celtic language of Cornwall, extinct since c1800.

2. one of an English breed of chickens raised chiefly for crossing with other breeds to produce roasters.

Cornish British  

/ ˈkɔːnɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Cornwall, its inhabitants, their former language, or their present-day dialect of English

---

noun

1. a former language of Cornwall, belonging to the S Celtic branch of the Indo-European family and closely related to Breton: extinct by 1800

2. (functioning as plural) the natives or inhabitants of Cornwall

Etymology

Origin of Cornish

1350–1400; late Middle English, apparently syncopated variant of Middle English Cornwelisse. See Cornwall, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

The podcast was commissioned by the BBC to celebrate the Cornish language's recent upgrade to top level protection by the government – alongside Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Welsh.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

It has been deployed in debates ranging from conditions in armed forces housing to the sewerage system of a Cornish hospital.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Ten years after St Ives voted to ban new‑builds from being used as second homes, the Cornish town is still grappling with soaring house prices, unstable work and young residents being pushed out.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has recorded more than 270 dead puffins just on Cornish beaches this year - compared to just two in the whole of last year.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

“That was what he wanted you to think. But he was a Cornish knight, like the rest of them.”

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White