Erse

From Scots Erse (“Irish”), from earlier Ersche, Ersch, a contraction of Erisch, Erische (“Irish”), from Middle English Erische, Irische, Irisch (“Irish”). Doublet of Irish. Compare also Scots Irisch.

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• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

Erse (uncountable)

1. (dated, sometimes offensive) Either of the Gaelic languages of Ireland and Scotland.
   • 1940 May, G. W. J. Potter, “Tickets of the Great Southern Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 292:

     Two points which appeal to the writer are that the stations of origin and of destination are printed (in Erse and English) once only and then are summarised at the foot, [...]. [...] Clar Chloinne Mhuiris is the Erse original of Claremorris, and Dublin appears as Baile Atha Cliath.

   • 1993, “Plastic Paddy”, in Mirrors‎, performed by Eric Bogle:

     Now he's just sung in his mother tongue, the ancient Irish Erse, and cleared the pub completely by the forty-second verse!

Erse (not comparable)

1. (dated, sometimes offensive) Connected with Ireland or the Highlands of Scotland, or to the Gaelic languages spoken in those places.

• “Erse”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

• EERs, REEs, Rees, SEER, SERE, eres, rees, rese, seer, sere

Inherited from Middle English Irish, perhaps influenced by Old Norse írskr and its descendants.

Erse (not comparable)

1. Irish