British

[ brit-ish ]

/ ˈbrɪt ɪʃ /

adjective

of or relating to Great Britain or its inhabitants.

used especially by natives or inhabitants of Great Britain: In this dictionary, “Brit.” is an abbreviation for “British usage.”

noun

the people native to or inhabiting Great Britain.

British English.

the Celtic language of the ancient Britons.

QUIZZES

THIS WEEK’S WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ IS POSITIVELY FELICIFIC

Do you study our Words of the Day with great assiduity? See how many you remember from March 30 to April 5!

Question 1 of 7

transliterate

to remove or destroy all traces of.

to change (letters, words, etc.), into corresponding characters of another alphabet or language.

to explain in terms that can be more easily understood.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of British

before 900; Middle English Brittische, Old English Bryttisc, equivalent to Brytt(as) Britons + -isc- -ish¹; see Briton

OTHER WORDS FROM British

Brit·ish·ly, adverbBrit·ish·ness, nounan·ti-Brit·ish, adjective, nounnon-Brit·ish, adjective

pre-Brit·ish, adjectivepro-Brit·ish, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for pro-british

She was from a wealthy and socially prominent New York family who were pro-British.
The Fight Over America’s Entrance to WWII|Sandra McElwaine|April 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It was quite unsentimental, being pro-Turkish or anti-Russian only as it became so in being pro-British.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Slice 4|Various
They think I am hopelessly pro-British and that I am being used.
The Life and Letters of Walter H. Page, Volume II|Burton J. Hendrick
From the first the Indians of the Northwest were pro-British.
The Land of the Miamis|Elmore Barce

I had not up to then met so thoroughly pro-British an enemy.
A Prisoner in Turkey|John Still
It was like saying to a man who had enlisted in the Army: "You will probably become very pro-British."
Passing By|Maurice Baring

British Dictionary definitions for pro-british (1 of 2)

pro-British

adjective

in favour of or supporting Britain, its people, culture, etc

British Dictionary definitions for pro-british (2 of 2)

British

/ (ˈbrɪtɪʃ) /

adjective

relating to, denoting, or characteristic of Britain or any of the natives, citizens, or inhabitants of the United Kingdom

relating to or denoting the English language as spoken and written in Britain, esp the S dialect generally regarded as standardSee also Southern British English, Received Pronunciation

relating to or denoting the ancient Britons

of or relating to the CommonwealthBritish subjects

noun

(functioning as plural) the natives or inhabitants of Britain

the extinct Celtic language of the ancient BritonsSee also Brythonic

Derived forms of British

Britishness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012