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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
Ancient Greek Βρεττανός (Brettanós)
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂
Proto-Hellenic *-íā
Ancient Greek -ίᾱ (-íā)
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.
    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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