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.
The segment experienced a 96% decline in operating earnings for the quarter, primarily due to foreign currency exchange rate losses generated from bonds issued by Berkshire Hathaway and denominated in British Pounds, euros, and Japanese Yen. Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025 Although they were overshadowed by bigger British Invasion bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Who, the group finally got its due when it was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, alongside The Cure, Radiohead, Janet Jackson, and Stevie Nicks. Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 10 May 2025 The actor makes the rare public acknowledgement of Kidman’s thespian abilities in the May issue of Sight and Sound, the film magazine published by the British Film Institute. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 10 May 2025 Ono was president of the University of British Columbia when the pandemic hit and moved swiftly to close the campus and require vaccinations for those who returned. Ian Hodgson, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 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

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Cite this Entry

“British.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/British. Accessed 23 May. 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
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