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.
Speaking before lawmakers in the House of Commons on Tuesday, British Transport Minister Mike Kane emphasized the urgency of the investigation. Jesus Mesa, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 For centuries, the East India Company, a commercial and military organization, pillaged the riches of India to fund the British Empire and the company’s own expansion. Michael Knights, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 2025 The new study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia and not yet submitted for peer review, shows that semaglutide is associated with hair loss compared to users of an older weight loss pill called Contrave, or bupropion-naltrexone. Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025 The year Oscar turned two, William published the results of his immersion in the minutiae of the famine as an official report of the British Parliament. Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“British.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/British. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

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!