British
/ˈbrɪtɪʃ/noun
Relating to Great Britain, the United Kingdom, or its people.
Did you know?The name ultimately comes through Latin Britannia from an ancient Celtic ethnonym recorded by Greek and Roman writers, though its original meaning remains uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
4th–1st Century BCE
Greek
Βρεττανική (Brettanikē)
“The name Greek geographers used for Britain or the British islands; its Celtic source is uncertain.”
1st Century BCE
Latin
Britannia
“The Roman name for Britain, derived from the name of its inhabitants.”
1st Century CE
Latin
Britanni
“The Britons, the Celtic-speaking inhabitants of Britain encountered and described by Rome.”
Old English
Old English
Bryttisc
“British; relating to the Britons.”
Middle English
Middle English
Brutish / British
“Relating to Britain or its inhabitants; spelling and pronunciation gradually developed toward modern British.”
Modern English
English
British
“Relating to Great Britain, the United Kingdom, or its people.”