United Kingdom

American  

noun

1. a kingdom in NW Europe, consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: formerly comprising Great Britain and Ireland 1801–1922. 94,242 sq. mi. (244,100 sq. km). London. U.K.

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United Kingdom British  

noun

1.  UK.  a kingdom of NW Europe, consisting chiefly of the island of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland: became the world's leading colonial power in the 18th century; the first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution. It became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1921, after the rest of Ireland became autonomous as the Irish Free State. Primarily it is a trading nation, the chief exports being manufactured goods; joined the Common Market (now the European Union) in January 1973. Official language: English; Gaelic, Welsh, and other minority languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: pound sterling. Capital: London. Pop: 63 395 574 (2013 est). Area: 244 110 sq km (94 251 sq miles) See also Great Britain

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United Kingdom Cultural  

1. Part of the official name of the British nation; the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes England, Scotland, Wales, and six counties of Ireland, ruled by the king or queen of England, and represented in the nation's parliament.

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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

United Kingdom

His comments come after the couple announced they are moving back to the United Kingdom after living in California for six years.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

To this day, the “King of Canada,” who also happens to be the monarch of the United Kingdom, is the official head of state, and full constitutional separation from Britain didn’t happen until 1982.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

Thirty-three people from the United Kingdom were missing, the Nepal Tourism Board figures showed on Friday.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, require a prescription for melatonin, while others, including the United States, allow people to buy it over the counter.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

I was finally able to read again and devoured The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a book given to me by the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai