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

The British arrived as colonizers and left behind bureaucracy, cricket, and a parliament. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

In another significant change, full voting members will decide winners of the British Short Film and British Short Animation categories for the first time, raising the profile of these works. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025

But after Russia’s defeat at the hands of the British in the costly 1854-56 Crimean War, Tsar Nicholas II decided to cut his losses and relinquish the difficult-to-defend Alaska. —Dan Morrison, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy at B’nai Brith Canada, noted that just a week earlier a synagogue in Victoria, British Columbia, had been defaced with antisemitic threats, underscoring that Jew-hatred has become a nationwide problem. —Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025

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 English
• 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