Eire

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The westernmost large island of the British Isles, located off the coast of mainland Europe ; officially, the sovereign nation occupying most of that island
2. The island situated west of Great Britain in the Atlantic Ocean ; the independent country that comprises the majority of the Irish landmass and its surrounding waters
3. The geographic landmass forming the western part of the British Isles ; the state that represents the independent Irish nation and its territory

Etymology: Eire is the Irish-language name for Ireland, and English took it directly from Irish "Éire." The Irish word goes back to the Old Irish genitive-form "Ériu," the name of a goddess associated with the island, though the exact route from that name to the modern form is a matter for specialists to trace. What is clear is that the name arrived in English as a borrowing rather than a translation, so an English speaker using "Eire" is quoting the island's own name for itself. The spelling most English readers will recognise as the official name is "Ireland," which is an English compound of "Ire" (from the Old English "Īras," the people) and "land." Using "Eire" in English therefore sets the native name against the anglicised one. The accent mark in Irish is part of the spelling, though English usage has mostly dropped it.

Synonyms: Ireland