Britain
English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Old English Breoton, Bryten etc., from Latin Britannia; later reinforced by Anglo-Norman Britaine, Old French Bretaigne, from Latin Brittannia, variant of Britannia, from Britannī. Ultimately from Proto-Brythonic *Prɨdėn (“Britain”) from *Pritanī (also compare *Prɨdɨn (“Picts”) from *Pritenī), attested to in Ancient Greek as Πρεττανική (Prettanikḗ), compare Welsh Prydain. Doublet of Brittany.
Proper noun
Britain (plural Britains)
- The island of Great Britain, consisting of England, Scotland and Wales. [from 10th c.]
- (loosely) The United Kingdom.
- (now historical) Brittany. [from 13th c.]
- (now historical) The British state and its dominions and holdings; the British Empire. [from 17th c.]
- (in the plural) The British Empire. [from 19th c.]
- 1874, The Times, 14 July 1874:
- The name of 'Britain' […] ought to answer every purpose, or if that be thought too condensed, it may be pluralized into ‘The Britains’.
- 1874, The Times, 14 July 1874:
Synonyms
- (island): Gramarye
Related terms
Translations
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United Kingdom — see United Kingdom
Brittany — see Brittany
Etymology 2
From Latin Britannus (adjective and noun, plural Britannī), apparently from Brythonic (compare Old Welsh Priten).
Noun
Britain (plural Britains)
- (now rare, historical) An ancient Briton. [from 15th c.]
- 2002, L. C. Lambdin and R. T. Lambdin, Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, 2002, page 12:
- The Britains’ struggles with the Scots and Picts [...] led to the Britains asking the Romans for help in constructing a great wall.
- 2002, L. C. Lambdin and R. T. Lambdin, Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, 2002, page 12:
Adjective
Britain (comparative more Britain, superlative most Britain)
- (obsolete) Briton; British. [16th-18th c.]
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.11:
- mightie Albion, father of the bold / And warlike people which the Britaine Islands hold […].
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.11:
See also
- Great Britain
- the British Isles
- the United Kingdom
Further reading
Britain (placename) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Anagrams
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