shamrock
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of shamrock
1565–75; < Irish seamróg, equivalent to seamair clover + -óg diminutive suffix
Compare meaning
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Explanation
A shamrock is a three-leafed green clover that's used to symbolize Ireland. Go all out for St. Patrick's Day this year — decorate your whole house with shamrocks! A clover must have exactly three leaves to be a shamrock, and some people believe only certain clover varieties qualify. Since at least 1675, Catholics have associated the shamrock with Saint Patrick, who famously used it to represent the Holy Trinity. It wasn't until the 18th century that it shifted from representing Ireland's patron saint to Ireland itself. The shamrock even shows up on some British coins, alongside the English rose and Scottish thistle.
Vocabulary lists containing shamrock
March Vocabulary Words
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Green
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I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
EDO filed a countersuit against iSpot in 2022, claiming iSpot’s lawsuit had interfered with an $80 million investment deal that the company was pursuing with Shamrock Capital.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026
Tom O'Dea:, external Irish footballer started his career at Shamrock Rovers before moving to the United States and playing for the likes of Connecticut Bicentennials and Utah Golden Spikers.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
Billy Young:, external Irish player for Bohemians went on to manage the club as well as Shamrock Rovers.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
Additionally, she re-purchased her back catalog of master recordings, first released through Big Machine Records, from investment group Shamrock Capital for a rumored nine-figure sum.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2025
“They’re running a racket tonight at the Shamrock Club.”
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
