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Old Irish

American  

noun

  1. the Irish language before c900. OIr, OIr.


Old Irish British  

noun

  1. the Celtic language of Ireland up to about 900 ad , introduced to Scotland by Irish settlers about 500 a.d

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Old Irish

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

See Examples For:

Historically known as 'an Gabhar Fiáin' -- the wild goat -- the Old Irish Goat occupies a unique place in Irish folklore.

From Science Daily Feb. 26, 2026

The results showed that both prehistoric and medieval Irish goats are most closely related to today's Old Irish Goat.

From Science Daily Feb. 26, 2026

The team reported he was last seen at The Old Irish Pub in Barcelona.

From BBC Nov. 6, 2022

This book retells the ninth-century Old Irish poem “Pangur Ban,” a monk’s simple reflections on his companionship with his cat and the parallels between his scholarly pursuit of knowledge and the cat’s playful hunting.

From New York Times Nov. 3, 2016

Thus in many parts of LU. we find a thin Middle Irish veneer on what is largely Old Irish of the 8th or 9th century.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various

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