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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Compare meaning

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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom

Example Sentences

"There's a sense here, as there is, I think, in the United Kingdom, that this conflict is going to define us for a generation and we must respond, and we will respond, with strength."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Countries like the United Kingdom and Spain joined the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Organizers canceled the popular Wireless Festival after the United Kingdom denied its headliner, the embattled rapper Ye, a visa into the country.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

He believed dispersed ownership, like the kind common in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, promotes better-functioning markets.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Forcing female soldiers to wear men’s boots isn’t unique to the Red Army in World War II. Combat boots in women’s sizes for British soldiers were introduced in the United Kingdom only in 2012.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein