Brexit

[ breg-zit, brek-sit ]

noun

1. the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from membership in the European Union.
2. the nonbinding national referendum in 2016 that resulted in a vote for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Brexit¹

First recorded in 2012; (originally also spelled Brixit , referencing Britain's possible withdrawal); Br(itain) ( def ) or Br(itish) ( def ) + exit ¹( def ); probably patterned on Grexit ( def ), which dates from earlier that year

Example Sentences

Disputes over Brexit and the Troubles Legacy Act left UK/Irish relations at their lowest ebb for decades during the final days of the Conservative administration.

From BBC

Vauxhall's former owner PSA Group suggested in 2019 that Brexit threatened its Luton factory.

From BBC

No, they are not talking about Cummings’s views on Brexit or Elon Musk.

From BBC

Marine Le Pen's far right and the left-wing New Popular Front both united to censure Barnier's government after the former Brexit negotiator controversially used special powers to force through his budget without a vote.

From BBC

Opposition parties had tabled the motion after the former Brexit negotiator controversially used special powers to force through his budget without a vote.

From BBC