a sea-port and borough town of Scotland, in the bailiwick of Cunningham, and county of Ayr; situated at the mouth of a river of the same name on the frith of Clyde, in W. Long. 2. 55. N. Lat. 55. 36. This port had formerly several busses in the herring-fishery. At present that branch is given up; but the inhabitants still employ a number of vessels in the coal trade to Ireland, and also in the Baltic and carrying trade. Ship-building and rope making are carried on to a considerable extent at Irvine.