British definition

English

Alternative forms

• Brittish (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English Brittish, from Old English Brettisċ.^[1] The spelling with single -t- appears in the 13th century under the influence of Medieval Latin Britannicus, but spelling with -tt- persists alongside -t- during the 13th to 17th centuries.

In reference to the island of Great Britain from ca. 1400 (Latin natio Anglica sive Britannica, Brittisshe occean 1398, the Britishe nacion 1548). As a noun, referring to the British people, British soldiers, etc. from ca. 1600.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪtɪʃ/

• Audio (RP)

  (file)

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪtɪʃ/, [ˈbɹɪɾɪʃ]

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• (Cockney, Estuary English) IPA^(key): [ˈbɹɪʔɪʃ]
• Rhymes: -ɪtɪʃ
• Hyphenation: Brit‧ish

Noun

British pl (plural only) (usually with definite article)

1. The residents or inhabitants of Great Britain.

   Synonyms: Britons, (informal) Brits

2. The citizens or inhabitants of the United Kingdom.
3. (history) The ancient inhabitants of the southern part of Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasion.

   Synonym: Britons

Translations

Proper noun

British

1. The Celtic language of the ancient Britons; Common Brittonic.
2. (obsolete) Synonym of Welsh: the Welsh people.
3. (chiefly US) The British English language.

Translations

Adjective

British (comparative more British, superlative most British)

1. Of Britain.
2. Of the United Kingdom.
3. Of the Commonwealth of Nations, or the British Empire.
4. (historical) Of the ancient inhabitants of the southern part of Britain; Brythonic.
5. (historical) Of the British Isles.
6. Of British English.

Derived terms

Translations

References