brit

or britt

[ brit ]

noun

the group of small marine animals forming the food of baleen whales.
the young of herring and sprat.

Origin of brit

First recorded in 1595–1605; perhaps from Cornish brȳthel “mackerel”; akin to Old Cornish brȳth, Welsh brith “speckled”

Other definitions for Brit (2 of 3)

Brit

[ brit ]

noun

a native or inhabitant of Great Britain, especially of England; Briton: He married a Brit.
Disparaging. a member of the British army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

adjective

of or relating to Great Britain or its inhabitants; British: The syllabus for the course in Brit Lit was none too inspiring.

Origin of Brit

First recorded in 1900–05; by shortening

Other definitions for Brit. (3 of 3)

Brit.

abbreviation

Britain.
British.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use brit in a sentence

Denton, who speaks in the clipped cadence of the Oxford-educated brit he is, has built quite a castle.
The Gospel According to Nick Denton—What Next For The Gawker Founder? | Lloyd Grove | December 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The strapping 24-year-old brit is not only one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood but also dating ‘It Girl’ Cara Delevingne.
Angelina Jolie’s New Muse: The Rise of Jack O’Connell, Star of the WWII Epic ‘Unbroken’ | Marlow Stern | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I walked up to Muehl along with another brit, the playwright, Heathcote Williams.
The Life and Art of Radical Provocateur—and Commune Leader—Otto Muehl | Anthony Haden-Guest | September 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The very mention of his part in Spice World causes the brit to erupt in a violent fit of laughter.
Dominic West Talks ‘The Wire’ Movie, Prince Harry, and Why He’s Opposed to Scottish Independence | Marlow Stern | September 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Director Dan Reed, a tall, bald-headed brit, landed in Nairobi soon after the attack.
Westgate's Chilling Security Video Reveals Shopping Mall Bloodbath | Nina Strochlic | September 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

It is pleasantly situated in a hilly district on the river brit, from which it takes its name.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 | Various
Letherbury, about a mile south of Beaminster, is a pleasant walk down the brit valley, by the river-side.
Thomas Hardy's Dorset | Robert Thurston Hopkins
brit'omart saw him in Venus's looking-glass, and fell in love with him.
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol 1 | The Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D.
brit had hauled from the mountain-side logs long and logs short, and it had seemed a shame to cut the long ones any shorter.
The Quirt | B.M. Bower
She was continually worrying over rattlesnakes and diphtheria and pneumonia, and begging brit to sell out and live in town.
The Quirt | B.M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for brit (1 of 3)

brit

/ (brɪt) /

noun(functioning as singular or plural)

the young of a herring, sprat, or similar fish
minute marine crustaceans, esp copepods, forming food for many fishes and whales

Origin of brit

C17: perhaps from Cornish brӯthel mackerel; see brill

British Dictionary definitions for Brit (2 of 3)

Brit¹

/ (brɪt) /

noun

informal a British person

British Dictionary definitions for Brit (3 of 3)

Brit²

abbreviation for

Britain
British

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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