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Definition of British adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

British

adjective
 
/ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
 
/ˈbrɪtɪʃ/
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  1. (abbreviation Br.)
     connected with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or with the people who live there
    • the British Government
    • He was born in France but his parents are British.
    • British-based/British-born/British-made
    • a truly British comic hero
  2. the British
     noun [plural] the people of Great Britain or the United Kingdom
    More About the Britishthe British
    • There is no singular noun which is commonly used to refer to a person from Britain. Instead the adjective British is used:
      • She’s British.
      • The British have a very odd sense of humour.
      The adjective English refers only to people from England, not the rest of the United Kingdom.
    • The noun Briton is used mainly in newspapers:
      • The survivors of the avalanche included 12 Britons.
      It also describes the early inhabitants of Britain:
      • the ancient Britons
      . Brit is informal. Britisher is now very old-fashioned.
    note at Scottish
    3. Word OriginOld English Brettisc ‘relating to the ancient Britons’, from Bret ‘Briton’, from Latin Britto, or its Celtic equivalent.
See British in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: British

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noun
 
 
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