irish stew
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A dish made by stewing together meat, onions, and potatoes. Called "Irish" from the predominance of potatoes.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “irish stew” mean?
A dish made by stewing together meat, onions, and potatoes. Called "Irish" from the predominance of potatoes.
Is “irish stew” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.