British

noun

Brit·​ish ˈbri-tish How to pronounce British (audio)
1
a
: the Celtic language of the ancient Britons
2
plural in construction : the people of Great Britain or the Commonwealth of Nations
British adjective
Britishism noun
Britishness noun

Examples of British in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Having taken Seamus outside the wake, the British flipped him by offering the prospect of a better life for him and his wife in London. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024 His LinkedIn had shown us a serious education: B.A. from Harvard, an M.S. in France, a Ph.D. underway in London, memberships in the American Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects, both of which require professional and educational verification. Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024 Charles led Remembrance Day commemorations in London on Sunday as the United Kingdom remembered British and Commonwealth service members who have lost their lives in conflicts. Hannah Peart, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024 Janet Werker is a developmental psychologist at the University of British Columbia who studies language acquisition in infants. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for British 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Bruttische of Britain, from Old English Brettisc, from Brettas Britons, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh Brython Briton

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of British was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near British

Cite this Entry

“British.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/British. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

British

1 of 2 noun
Brit·​ish
ˈbrit-ish
1
plural British : the people of Great Britain or their descendants
2
: the English language as spoken in England

British

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to the original people of Britain
2
a
: of or relating to Great Britain or the British
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!