United Kingdom

American  

noun

1. a kingdom in NW Europe, consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: formerly comprising Great Britain and Ireland 1801–1922. 94,242 sq. mi. (244,100 sq. km). London. U.K.

---

United Kingdom British  

noun

1.  UK.  a kingdom of NW Europe, consisting chiefly of the island of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland: became the world's leading colonial power in the 18th century; the first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution. It became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1921, after the rest of Ireland became autonomous as the Irish Free State. Primarily it is a trading nation, the chief exports being manufactured goods; joined the Common Market (now the European Union) in January 1973. Official language: English; Gaelic, Welsh, and other minority languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: pound sterling. Capital: London. Pop: 63 395 574 (2013 est). Area: 244 110 sq km (94 251 sq miles) See also Great Britain

---

United Kingdom Cultural  

1. Part of the official name of the British nation; the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes England, Scotland, Wales, and six counties of Ireland, ruled by the king or queen of England, and represented in the nation's parliament.

---

Compare meaning

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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom

Example Sentences

Russia was not a united kingdom — instead, each major city was ruled by a prince, and the princes often fought one another.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2019

The Scottish state and society which grew between 1314 and 1707 could not be subsumed within a united kingdom in the way that high medieval Scotland might have been.

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2015

That was certainly the hope, and the pledge, of David Cameron, the Prime Minister of what he took to be a freshly united kingdom.

From The New Yorker • May 8, 2015

Programme Manager - South Asia haselour house media ltd. united kingdom.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2010

When Garibaldi had conquered the Two Sicilies, he sent for Victor Emmanuel to come and take possession of the united kingdom.

From Old Wine and New Occasional Discourses by Cross, Joseph