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

In a statement, Lithuania's Ministry of Justice said: "There have been no discussions or consultations regarding the possibility of accepting the transfer of all Lithuanian citizens imprisoned in the United Kingdom".

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

The authority’s approval was significant because Paramount owns CBS News, children’s channel Nickelodeon and Channel 5, one of the largest over-the-air television broadcasters in the United Kingdom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

More than one million people died during the Irish famine between 1845 and 1852, when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and about two million emigrated over the following decade.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

On Monday night, a ship reported being hit by an “unknown projectile” in the strait, off Al Khasab on Oman’s coast, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026

But the United Kingdom is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel and the North Sea.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein