SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

the British

noun

Definition of the British

: the people of Great Britain and especially England

talked about the British

Word by Word Definitions

British play

: the Celtic language of the ancient Britons
: british english
: the people of Great Britain or the Commonwealth of Nations

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Seen and Heard

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WORD OF THE DAY

headlong

play

without deliberation, pause, or delay

Words at Play

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Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

You're on the edge of your seat

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What the #@*% Is a ‘Grawlix'?

We can thank Beetle Bailey.

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'Altho' vs. 'Although'

Altho doesn't get much love.

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A Brief History of 'Potshot'

Duck, or you might be dinner

Ask the Editors

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

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Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

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Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

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Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

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More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

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True or False?

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Word Winder's CrossWinder

Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

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