Briton

noun

Brit·​on ˈbri-tᵊn How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples inhabiting Britain prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2
: a native or subject of Great Britain
especially : englishman

Examples of Briton 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.
The result means that Norris has cut his teammate’s lead to 15 points at the top of the drivers’ championship, after their collision two weeks ago at the Canadian Grand Prix ended the Briton’s last race and cost him valuable points in the standings. Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 June 2025 The Briton expressed that talks were on hold considering Mercedes' ongoing discussions with Verstappen. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025 The Briton worked with the crew during filming to ensure the movie showcased the sport in the most authentic way. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 The Hong Kong Tourist Association, a successor to the pre-war Hong Kong Travel Association, was launched in 1957 as the brainchild of executive director H. F. Stanley, a Briton who took an interest in promoting a distinctive identity for the British colony. H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 6 June 2025 The Briton also met Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson at 10 Downing Street to discuss reforms that could be introduced in the education system. Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025 Last year, the Briton started on pole in Barcelona with Piastri 10th and finished second behind Max Verstappen, some 30 seconds ahead of his McLaren teammate in seventh. Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 When she was broken at 5-1 up, the Briton started to swing more freely, sustaining the aggression long enough to climb back up the ladder only to fall off it and lose serve at 4-5 down. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025 This forced Leclerc into a two-stop race while Hamilton pitted for the first time, switching from the hard tire to the medium — the Briton having started the race on the contra-tire strategy. Luke Smith, New York Times, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Breton, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin Britton-, Britto, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh Brython

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Briton was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Briton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Briton. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Briton

noun
Brit·​on ˈbrit-ən How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples living in Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2

More from Merriam-Webster on Briton

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!