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

The political passions that drove the American rebellion against Great Britain were hard to control.

From The Wall Street Journal

To be the first to discover this sea or return the lost Sir Franklin to Great Britain’s Queen Victoria would ensure fame and fortune forever.

From Literature

Draper ended his 164-day wait to make his return to competition when he played - and won - one match for Great Britain at this month's Davis Cup qualifiers.

From BBC

A message in Spanish from Queen Elizabeth II to King Juan Carlos read: "All of us in Great Britain are reassured to know the final result."

From BBC

Determined to complete a full recovery from the issue, Draper took the decision to miss the Australian Open in January before making his return for Great Britain on 5 February.

From BBC