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

Veteran broadcaster John Humphrys has said the people of the United Kingdom should "be able to choose our leaders" as he releases a documentary exploring the role of the Royal Family.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

"I voted to leave the United Kingdom," 76-year-old Piddington resident Herbert Owen, told AFP during the vote, saying it felt like the government did not "care" about the bucolic village in the Oxfordshire countryside.

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

Northern Ireland has remained part of the United Kingdom since Ireland was partitioned more than a century ago.

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

In travel news, it wasn’t a good week to be flying to or through the United Kingdom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

I was finally able to read again and devoured The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a book given to me by the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai