Meanings
plural smoked Irishmen
- datedderogatoryethnicslurA black man.
"We get fairly good salaries, and this is a good neighborhood, one of the few good ones left. We have no smoked Irishmen around."
1972, John C. Livingston, Robert G. Thompson, The dissent of the governed: readings on the democratic process2 more examples
The smoked Irishmen — the colored (no one says black; few even say Negro) — represent change and instability, kids who cause trouble in school, who get treatment that your kids never got, that you never got.
1969, Harper's Magazine: Volume 239When asked about his Irish name, and how he came by that, McCracken replied "I's smoked Irish, Judge, just another smoked Irishman."
2010, Loren Avey, The Pole Creek Crossing, page 214
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
From the joint low status of blacks and the Irish in Britain and the United States during the 19th century.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
smoked Irishman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoked%20Irishman
“smoked Irishman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoked%20Irishman. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smoked Irishman,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smoked%20Irishman.
Source: smoked Irishman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.