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

Similarly, the Bank of England, while keeping its policy unchanged this past week, outlined three separate scenarios for inflation and the United Kingdom economy, a reflection of the lack of visibility.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

President Trump announced he would remove tariffs on whisky from the United Kingdom, crediting King Charles III for persuading him.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

"The United States will allow preferential duty access for whiskey produced in the United Kingdom," Greer said in a statement.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

"It's a bit upsetting to be honest because when you think about how it goes, we're all part of the United Kingdom, so you feel like it should be all for one," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

By the middle of 1942, the Air Transport Auxiliary in the United Kingdom let women ferry every single type of aircraft that the men of the Royal Air Force flew.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein