Britain

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪ.tən/, /ˈbɹɪ.tn̩/

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• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪ.tn̩/, [ˈbɹɪ.ɾᵊn̩], [ˈbɹɪ.ʔᵊn̩]
• Rhymes: -ɪtən

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.

Britain (plural Britains)

1. The island of Great Britain, consisting of England, Scotland and Wales. [from 10th c.]
2. (loosely) The United Kingdom.
3. (now historical) Brittany. [from 13th c.]
4. (now historical) The British state and its dominions and holdings; the British Empire. [from 17th c.]
5. (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’.

• (island): Gramarye

• Breton
• British
• Briton
• Britannia
• Brittany
• Battle of Britain
• Broken Britain

From Latin Britannus (adjective and noun, plural Britannī), apparently from Brythonic (compare Old Welsh Priten).

Britain (plural Britains)

1. (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.

Britain (comparative more Britain, superlative most Britain)

1. (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 […].

• Great Britain
• the British Isles
• the United Kingdom

• Britain (placename) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

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