Great Britain

American  

noun

1. an island of NW Europe, separated from the mainland by the English Channel and the North Sea: since 1707 the name has applied politically to England, Scotland, and Wales. 88,139 sq. mi. (228,280 sq. km).

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Great Britain British  

noun

1. England, Wales, and Scotland including those adjacent islands governed from the mainland (i.e. excluding the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). The United Kingdom of Great Britain was formed by the Act of Union (1707), although the term Great Britain had been in use since 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of England (including Wales). Later unions created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922). Pop: 57 851 100 (2003 est). Area: 229 523 sq km (88 619 sq miles) See also United Kingdom

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Compare meaning

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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom
• England vs. Great Britain
• Britain vs. Great Britain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Great Britain

Great Britain have not reached the knockout stage of the competition since 2023, and they will have to do so this time with an inexperienced team.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

They are responsible for ensuring policy decisions are put into action and are ultimately responsible for all civil servants in Great Britain.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

In 1951 Great Britain, still reeling from World War II, attempted to boost morale with a fair promoting the nation’s accomplishments and innovations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

His brother Richard, 44, formerly competed in elite-level bobsleigh competitions for Great Britain.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

We call this land of ours Great Britain, and there may be those who believe this a somewhat immodest practice.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro