British

noun

Brit·​ish ˈbri-tish 

1

a

: the Celtic language of the ancient Britons

b

: british english

2

plural in construction : the people of Great Britain or the Commonwealth of Nations

British adjective

Britishism

ˈbri-ti-ˌshi-zəm 

noun

Britishness noun

Examples of British in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bradley Elliott, a researcher at the University of Westminster and a trustee of the British Society for Research on Ageing, put the limits bluntly to Forbes. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026

And a 26-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin arrived aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Beagle, which had sailed from England nearly four years earlier on a mission to chart South America. — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026

The other half comes from the way that Hynde and her partners in crime extract the best of 1950s rock, 1960s British Invasion pop, and even bits of 1970s groove music and add it to the mix. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

The British muscled in, but only for a few years, and the Japanese occupied the area during the Second World War. — Michelle Jana Chan, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Sep. 2026

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

Phrases Containing British

• anti-British
• British Columbian
• British English
• British Racing Green
• British Summer Time
• British thermal unit
• the British

Rhymes for British

• skittish

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

b

: English entry 1