Britain

American  

[brit-n] / ˈbrɪt n /

noun

1. Great Britain.

2. Britannia.

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Britain British  

/ ˈbrɪtən /

noun

1. another name for Great Britain United Kingdom

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Britain Cultural  

1. Officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, located on the British Isles off the western coast of the mainland (continent) of Europe. It comprises England, Wales, and Scotland on the island of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland on the island of Ireland. Its capital and largest city is London.

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It is one of the world's leading industrialized nations.

Most of the settlers of the American colonies were British. The colonies remained under the British crown until the American Revolutionary War.

Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. Allied with the United States and the Soviet Union, the British, under the leadership of Winston Churchill, played an important role in defeating Germany.

At the height of its imperial power in the late nineteenth century, Britain boasted colonies and possessions around the globe. (See British Empire.)

A constitutional monarchy, Britain's government calls for the hereditary king or queen to perform mostly ceremonial functions. Parliament governs the country.

Compare meaning

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

• Britain vs. England
• Britain vs. Great Britain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Britain

Reuters reported that the EU Commission, France, Ireland, Britain and Italy are holding a call about the possibility of releasing diesel stocks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Reuters also reported that the EU Commission, France, Ireland, Britain and Italy are holding a discussion over the phone about the possibility of releasing diesel stocks, according to an EU official.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said in June that he had "clearly announced" to Britain that this "pilot agreement... was not intended to be renewed beyond October 1, 2026."

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

He worked alongside activists and humanitarians , externalin Czechoslovakia to navigate complex political obstacles, such as getting children to Britain through the Netherlands, which had closed its borders to Jewish refugees.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The most dangerous game, and one that could save Great Britain and even the world.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin