First recorded in 1625–35; Latin Hiberni(a) “Ireland” + -an
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At St Mirren he was part of their first cup triumph in 26 years while he played the full 90 minutes when Hibernian ended their 114-year wait for another Scottish Cup.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
Two decisions in Celtic's 2-1 win at Hibernian on 3 May were discussed.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
They are known as Hibs fans—and they support Hibernian, the Scottish capital’s other major team.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
There was no act of escapology against Hibernian last week - and with a few minutes to go, you struggled to see one coming here.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
But when, after assuring his Hibernian subjects that his heart was wholly Irish, he, in the same exquisite style, protested that his heart was entirely Hanoverian, we were wise enough to comprehend his majesty.
From Secret History of the Court of England, from the Accession of George the Third to the Death of George the Fourth, Volume II (of 2) Including, Among Other Important Matters, Full Particulars of the Mysterious Death of the Princess Charlotte by Hamilton, Lady Anne
Not because we used to be called dundee hibernian but because it will be another club to have won the Scottish Cup after Dundee in 1910.
From BBC ● May 19, 2012
But the old, simpler order of things had suffered more wrenches than one in this acrid congressional campaign, and the warring factions could unite only on the hibernian proposition that union was impossible.
From The Henchman by Luther, Mark Lee
An hibernian musician, who, like myself, was present for the first time at this concert of antimusic, exclaimed, "By Jasus but they stop out of tune to a nicety!"
From Travels in the United States of America Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797. With the Author's Journals of his Two Voyages Across the Atlantic. by Priest, William
There are lately hibernian, and german societies, who do all in their power, to mitigate the severity of these laws, and render their countrymen, during their servitude, as comfortable as possible.
From Travels in the United States of America Commencing in the Year 1793, and Ending in 1797. With the Author's Journals of his Two Voyages Across the Atlantic. by Priest, William
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.
