: of, relating to, or characteristic of England, the English people, or the English language
Englishness
noun
1
a
: the language of the people of England and the U.S. and many areas now or formerly under British control
b
: a particular variety of English distinguished by peculiarities (as of pronunciation)
c
: English language, literature, or composition when a subject of study
2
plural in construction
: the people of England
3
a
: an English translation
b
: idiomatic or intelligible English
4
: spin around the vertical axis deliberately imparted to a ball that is driven or rolled compare draw, follow, body english
Englished; Englishing; Englishes
Examples of English in a Sentence
Noun
The English traditionally have afternoon tea.
I asked the doctor to give me my diagnosis in English, not medical jargon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Plenty of tried and true tropes return this year: a woman moves to Europe to become a chocolatier and falls in love, a prince falls in love with a commoner, an American inherits an English manor and falls in love with a local.
—Kayla Samoy, Chicago Tribune, 16 Dec. 2024
Maya Homan, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Alex's childhood best friend Keane officiated, beginning the ceremony in both English and Spanish to weave the history of their venue with the couple’s love story.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
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Adjective
Wider access to workforce training and education would be encouraged, especially for people with disabilities, English language learners, youth who are neither working nor attending school and those whose parents did not attend college.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Plenty of tried and true tropes return this year: a woman moves to Europe to become a chocolatier and falls in love, a prince falls in love with a commoner, an American inherits an English manor and falls in love with a local.
—Kayla Samoy, Chicago Tribune, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
To be eligible, pilots must be at least 16 years old, be able to read, speak, write, and understand English, be in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a drone, and pass an aeronautical knowledge exam, according to FAA guidelines.
—Maya Homan, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Alex's childhood best friend Keane officiated, beginning the ceremony in both English and Spanish to weave the history of their venue with the couple’s love story.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for English
Articles Related to English
Dictionary Entries Near English
Cite this Entry
“English.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/English. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
English
1 of 2 adjective
En·glish
ˈiŋ-glish 
: of, relating to, or characteristic of England, the English people, or the English language
English
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the language of the people of England and the U.S. and many areas now or formerly under British control
b
: English language, literature, or writing technique that is a subject of study
2
English plural
: the people of England
3
: a sideways spin given to a ball when it is struck or bowled
Etymology
Adjective
Old English englisc "English," from Engle "the Angles (Germanic people who invaded England in the 5th century along with the Saxons and with them formed the Anglo-Saxon peoples)"
Biographical Definition
English
biographical name
En·glish
ˈiŋ-glish
ˈiŋ-lish
Bill 1961– Simon William English prime minister of New Zealand (2016–2017)
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