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 British Film Institute (BFI) and France’s National Cinema Centre (CNC) have signed a Moving Image Co-operation Agreement aimed at fostering closer collaboration between the UK and French film industries. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 July 2025 The British, dependent on Iranian oil for what was left of their empire, responded by blockading Iran’s petroleum exports. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025 Horner’s last race was at the British Grand Prix, where Verstappen secured pole position after key set-up changes to make the car lower in downforce. Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 9 July 2025 But his ship was seized by the British and taken to Jamaica. Time, 9 July 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 12 Jul. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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