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

The Pennsylvanischer Staatsbote probably learned that the Continental Congress had severed ties with Great Britain from a source in the shop of John Dunlap, who had a contract to print the body’s resolutions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Compared with buying a stock portfolio, prediction markets would have been a much cleaner way to hedge against Great Britain leaving the EU by giving direct exposure to the question, “Will Brexit happen?”

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

He also rowed for Great Britain and won a bronze medal at the 1989 World Rowing Championships.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

The call-up is the 35-year-old's first at senior international level since he represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

On the international front, Oliver held talks with the governments of Great Britain and the Soviet Union, and in January 1987 met with the U.S. secretary of state, George Shultz, in Washington.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela