Irish setter

American  

noun

1. one of an Irish breed of setters having a golden-chestnut or mahogany-red coat.

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Irish setter British  

noun

1. Also called: red setter.  a breed of setter developed in Ireland, having a flat soft brownish-red coat

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Etymology

Origin of Irish setter

First recorded in 1880–85

Compare meaning

How does irish-setter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• English setter vs. Irish setter

Example Sentences

One dog was bred to an Irish setter, and its pups were bred to their canine aunts, uncles, and cousins.

From Slate • Oct. 9, 2023

New York Yankees great Lou Gehrig brought his German shepherd to the competition in the 1930s and fellow Hall of Famer Mike Mussina had an Irish setter that competed.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 21, 2022

She told the BBC that they had shared photos of their house and their dog, an Irish setter called Rathlin, with the family as they waited.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2022

She reminded him of the time one Christmas when his Irish setter, King Timahoe, kept bumping into the tree and destroying the ornaments.

From New York Times • Sep. 29, 2020

The family also had an Irish setter and an Airedale terrier.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston