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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

United Kingdom

"It was one of the larger amateur telescopes built at that time in the United Kingdom and now we are working to restore the floor, extend the original support," he said.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The authority’s approval was significant because Paramount owns CBS News, children’s channel Nickelodeon and Channel 5, one of the largest over-the-air television broadcasters in the United Kingdom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

More than one million people died during the Irish famine between 1845 and 1852, when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, and about two million emigrated over the following decade.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

He is one of 1,087 people who the United Kingdom has forcibly returned to France, as part of a so-called "one in, one out" deal with France.

From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026

The Daily Mail, in the United Kingdom, even illustrated the report with a photo of a kilt, explaining that a kilt is “the national dress of Scotland.”

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater