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Britain

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbɹɪt.ən/, [ˈbɹɪt.n̩]
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈbɹɪt.ən/, [ˈbɹɪɾ.ᵊn̩], [ˈbɹɪʔ.ᵊn̩]
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪtən
  • Hyphenation: Brit‧ain
  • Homophone: Briton

Etymology 1

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Etymology tree
Celticder.
Ancient Greek Βρεττᾰνός (Brettănós)
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂
Proto-Hellenic *-íā
Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā)
Ancient Greek Βρεττανία (Brettanía)bor.
Latin Britannia
Anglo-Norman Britainebor.
Middle English Britayne
English Britain

    From Middle English Britayne, Breteyn, from Anglo-Norman Bretaigne, Bretaine, from Latin Brittannia, variant of Latin Britannia, from Britannī; reinforced by native Old English Breten, from the same Latin source. 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 Britannia and Brittany. More at Britto.

    Proper noun

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    Britain (countable and uncountable, plural Britains)

    2. (loosely) The United Kingdom, a kingdom and country in Northern Europe including the island of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland on the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland.
      • 1979 March 31, Nicholas Henderson, Britain's Decline: Its Causes and Consequences:
        With the eclipse of Empire, and the emergence of America and Russia, it was inevitable that we would lose comparative power and influence—and to be sure we have been in relative economic decline since the middle of the nineteenth century (when we were still producing two thirds of the world's energy, and half its iron and cotton cloth and when per capita income in Britain was over twice that in Germany and one third greater than in France).
    4. Great Britain, a large island (sometimes also including some of the surrounding smaller islands) off the north-west coast of Western Europe, made up of England, Scotland, and Wales; especially (but not exclusively) during antiquity. [from 10th c.]
    5. England, Scotland and Wales in combination.
    6. (obsolete) Brittany. [from 13th c.]
    7. (in the plural) The British Isles.
    8. (historical) The British state and its dominions and holdings; the British Empire. [from 17th c.]
    9. (in the plural) The British Empire. [from 19th c.]
      • 1874 July 14, The Times:
        The name of 'Britain' […] ought to answer every purpose, or if that be thought too condensed, it may be pluralized into ‘The Britains’.
    Synonyms
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    Derived terms
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    Descendants
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    • → Hawaiian: Pelekāne
    • → Māori: Peretānia
    • → Tokelauan: Peletānia
    Translations
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    Etymology 2

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    From Middle English brytayn, from Latin Britannus (adjective and noun, plural Britannī), apparently from Brythonic (compare Old Welsh Priten).[1]

    Noun

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    Britain (plural Britains)

    1. (now rare, historical) An ancient Briton. [from 15th c.]
      • 2002, L. C. Lambdin, R. T. Lambdin, Companion to Old and Middle English Literature, page 12:
        The Britains’ struggles with the Scots and Picts [...] led to the Britains asking the Romans for help in constructing a great wall.

    Adjective

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    Britain (comparative more Britain, superlative most Britain)

    1. (obsolete) Briton; British. [16th–18th c.]

    See also

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    References

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    1. ^ “Britain, adj. and n.1”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

    Further reading

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    Anagrams

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