name
Very common
Britain
BRIHT-uhn
Britain (name) means the island made up of England, Scotland, and Wales, or (loosely) the United Kingdom as a whole. Example: “They moved to Britain in the early 1990s.”
name
1
The island made up of England, Scotland, and Wales, or (loosely) the United Kingdom as a whole.
"They moved to Britain in the early 1990s."
"Britain has a long tradition of parliamentary democracy."
How to use Britain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe name for the island of England, Scotland, and Wales, often used loosely to mean the whole United Kingdom.
UK vs US
Britain, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom are often used interchangeably in casual speech, though strictly the UK also includes Northern Ireland.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- Britains
- Comparative
- more Britain
- Superlative
- most Britain
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They moved to _____ in the early 1990s.
Etymology
From Latin Britannia, itself from an ancient Celtic name for the island, first recorded by Greek writers.
Synonyms
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Great Britain
the UK
the United Kingdom
GB
Related words
Rhymes for Britain
See all rhymes for Britain →Frequently asked questions
What does “Britain” mean?
The word “Britain” means the island made up of England, Scotland, and Wales, or (loosely) the United Kingdom as a whole. In plain terms, the name for the island of England, Scotland, and Wales, often used loosely to mean the whole United Kingdom.
How do you pronounce “Britain”?
“Britain” is pronounced BRIHT-uhn (/ˈbɹɪt.ən/ in IPA).
How do you use “Britain” in a sentence?
Here is “Britain” used in a sentence: “They moved to Britain in the early 1990s.”
What part of speech is “Britain”?
“Britain” is a name.
Where does the word “Britain” come from?
The word “Britain” comes from Latin. From Latin Britannia, itself from an ancient Celtic name for the island, first recorded by Greek writers.
Is “Britain” a common word?
“Britain” is a very common word in modern English.
What is the difference between Britain and England?
England is just one country within Britain. Britain — properly Great Britain — is the island shared by three countries: England, Scotland, and Wales. So calling the whole island "England" leaves out the Scots and Welsh. England is a part of Britain, not another name for it.
What is the difference between Britain and the United Kingdom?
Great Britain is the island containing England, Scotland, and Wales. The United Kingdom is the full country, which adds Northern Ireland to those three. So the UK is a political state, while Great Britain is really a geographic term. In everyday speech, though, "Britain" is often used loosely to mean the whole UK.
Is Britain a country?
Not exactly. Britain, or Great Britain, is an island and a collective term for England, Scotland, and Wales — each of which is a country in its own right. The sovereign state is the United Kingdom. In casual use, people do say "Britain" to mean the UK, but strictly it is not a single country.
What does "British" mean?
"British" describes people, things, or qualities belonging to Britain or the United Kingdom — a British passport, British weather, a British accent. It covers the English, Scottish, and Welsh, and usually people from Northern Ireland too. It is the shared national identity that spans the individual countries of the UK.
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