Great Britain

American  

noun

1. an island of NW Europe, separated from the mainland by the English Channel and the North Sea: since 1707 the name has applied politically to England, Scotland, and Wales. 88,139 sq. mi. (228,280 sq. km).

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Great Britain British  

noun

1. England, Wales, and Scotland including those adjacent islands governed from the mainland (i.e. excluding the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). The United Kingdom of Great Britain was formed by the Act of Union (1707), although the term Great Britain had been in use since 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of England (including Wales). Later unions created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922). Pop: 57 851 100 (2003 est). Area: 229 523 sq km (88 619 sq miles) See also United Kingdom

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Compare meaning

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

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom
• England vs. Great Britain
• Britain vs. Great Britain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Great Britain

He will now make his Great Britain debut at the European Championships.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

I’m thinking about your piece about Great Britain.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2026

The wholesale energy costs contribution to a typical household bill in Great Britain rose from £311 in 2024-25 to £320 in 2025-26.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

The war between Great Britain and the American colonies drew in multiple European powers, sparking conflicts across land and sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

They were named the Erebus and the Terror, and they were the two most celebrated ships in all of Great Britain.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler