British English

American  

noun

1. the English language as spoken and written in Great Britain, especially in southern England.

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Etymology

Origin of British English

First recorded in 1865–70

Compare meaning

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

• British English vs. American English

Example Sentences

"We have so many words that derive from the British English," Souza, a jazz singer-songwriter and instrumentalist, tells the BBC.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2024

He identified himself Tuesday as Arthur Knight Brown and gave a birthdate in British English — listing the day first, followed by the month and year — that is different from Rossi’s, KSTU-TV reported.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2024

However, when you hear British English or English spoken with a French, German, or Slavic accent, you may notice the difference, but you also may make a different set of assumptions about those people.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

“I decided that the Nigerian had learned British English, which made it more distinct from the French-inflected Haitian dialect, who would more likely be speaking American English,” he said.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2020

We shall not say that this is British English; but we willingly confess that it is not American English.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 08, No. 47, September, 1861 by Various