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.

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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

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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.

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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

“The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Nordic neighbors such as Sweden, Finland, and Norway all fall squarely within this range. Denmark represents the low-water mark.”

From Barron's

The study reflects a wide-ranging collaboration among researchers and institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and the United States.

From Science Daily

Michael Schmitt, an international law professor at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and a professor emeritus of international law at the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

The Met Office has confirmed 2025 as the warmest and sunniest on record in the United Kingdom.

From BBC

Barron’s highlighted the United Kingdom as a good spot for dividends a year ago, and that market is up over 30% in dollar terms.

From Barron's