Great Britain

American  

noun

1. an island of NW Europe, separated from the mainland by the English Channel and the North Sea: since 1707 the name has applied politically to England, Scotland, and Wales. 88,139 sq. mi. (228,280 sq. km).

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Great Britain British  

noun

1. England, Wales, and Scotland including those adjacent islands governed from the mainland (i.e. excluding the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). The United Kingdom of Great Britain was formed by the Act of Union (1707), although the term Great Britain had been in use since 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of England (including Wales). Later unions created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922). Pop: 57 851 100 (2003 est). Area: 229 523 sq km (88 619 sq miles) See also United Kingdom

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Compare meaning

How does great-britain compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom
• England vs. Great Britain
• Britain vs. Great Britain

Example Sentences

Trade was also at issue in the War of 1812, when the U.S. sided with Napoleonic France in its death struggle with Great Britain.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Iran has dominated this crucial waterway except when in internal disarray or checked by an outside power, namely Portugal, the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain and, after 1971, the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

According to the researchers, the largest St Kilda wrens are more than twice the size of the smallest wrens found on mainland Great Britain.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2026

He represented Great Britain at the Olympics as a rower after competing in the university Boat Race against Oxford as a student.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

He had two reasons for coming to the newly unified kingdom of Great Britain.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall