Briton

noun

Brit·​on ˈbri-tᵊn How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples inhabiting Britain prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2
: a native or subject of Great Britain
especially : englishman

Examples of Briton 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 Briton parted ways with her latest coach, Vladimir Platenik, after only a fortnight’s trial on the eve of the Miami opener. Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 On Sunday, Hamilton and Leclerc collided on the opening lap, with the Briton damaging the Monegasque’s front wing in the process. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 The Briton finished in points, eventually passing Stroll for eighth near the end of the sprint race. Luke Smith, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025 Over the past two-and-a-half years the 23-year-old Briton, who is also a singer-songwriter, has been busking at some of the most popular tourist spots in the Irish capital—including by the bronze statue of Molly Malone. Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 19 Mar. 2025 Unfortunately for the Briton and his teammate Charles Leclerc, Ferrari missed out on an opportunity by not pitting them early for a switch to intermediate tires, which could have resulted in a much better race finish than the P10 and P8 both drivers secured. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 The Briton joined the historic Italian marque in January after 12 seasons with Mercedes delivered six of his seven world titles. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 The Briton's move to Ferrari was driven by his long-time dream to race for the Red team and his quest for a record-breaking eighth championship title. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025 There’s a 13-year age gap between Hamilton and Leclerc and the Briton is heading into his 19th season. Madeline Coleman, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Breton, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin Britton-, Britto, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh Brython

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Briton was in the 13th century

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Cite this Entry

“Briton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Briton. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

Briton

noun
Brit·​on ˈbrit-ən How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples living in Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2

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