a former province in Ireland, now comprising Northern Ireland and a part of the Republic of Ireland.
a province in N Republic of Ireland. 3,123 sq. mi. (8,090 sq. km).
Informal. Northern Ireland.
(lowercase) a long, loose, heavy overcoat, originally of Irish frieze, now also of any of various other woolen cloths.
a province and former kingdom of N Ireland: passed to the English Crown in 1461; confiscated land given to English and Scottish Protestant settlers in the 17th century, giving rise to serious long-term conflict; partitioned in 1921, six counties forming Northern Ireland and three counties joining the Republic of Ireland. Pop (three Ulster counties of the Republic of Ireland): 46 714 (2002); (six Ulster counties of Northern Ireland): 1 702 628 (2003 est). Area (Republic of Ireland): 8013 sq km (3094 sq miles); (Northern Ireland): 14 121 sq km (5452 sq miles)
an informal name for Northern Ireland
C19: so called because it was first produced in Northern Ireland
An ulster is a long coat that was commonly worn in Victorian Britain. The overcoat that Sherlock Holmes usually wears in photos, movies, and TV shows is a good example of an ulster. This long, sturdy coat often has an attached cape and a belt, although more modern versions tend to omit the cape. These days, you're most likely to get a glimpse of an ulster on a period drama, like the TV series Sherlock or a filmed version of a Charles Dickens novel. The ulster wasn't a dressy type of outerwear; it was meant for a working man. The word comes from the name of the Irish province, Ulster, where these coats were originally made.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I was just flicking off lights and starting the wind down and I heard a loud bang" he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
A spokesperson for Mid Ulster Council said the dumping of animal carcasses was "completely unacceptable".
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
More than 150 incidents related to animal dumping, with the majority occurring in the Mid Ulster and Fermanagh and Omagh council areas.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
The Chiefs will travel to Ulster for the semi-final on the weekend of 2 May.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Beginning with Andrew Jackson in 1829, seventeen presidents of the United States have been of Ulster Scots lineage, including Ronald Reagan, the Bushes, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
