a sea-port and borough town of Scotland, in the bailiwick of Cunningham, and county of Ayr; seated 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 fisheries in the herring-fishery. A number of vessels is employed 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. The population in 1801 was estimated at 4,884, of which nearly 4,000 were employed in trade and manufactures.