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

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.

David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, has directed government agencies to exclude U.S. supplies from new purchasing agreements. —

William Gavin, Quartz, 3 Feb. 2025 Winslet was receiving an Artist of the Year award from the Los Angeles branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). —

Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025 Over the next two years, with full support from Jaguar’s racing division, the car was fiercely campaigned, taking a number of wins and second-place finishes, including victory at the British Empire Trophy Race in 1957. —

Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2025 Some authorities in the provinces of Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba and Nova Scotia planned to remove American liquor brands from government store shelves. —

Rob Gillies, Fortune, 3 Feb. 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

See more words from the same century

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Cite this Entry

Style

“British.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/British. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Copy Citation

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

Last Updated: 6 Feb 2025 - Updated example sentences

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