Britto

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

As Brittānia from the 1st century BCE, from Ancient Greek Πρεττανία (Prettanía), used by Diodorus, earlier νῆσος (nêsos) Πρεττανική (Prettanikḗ) or Βρεττανίαι (Brettaníai), used by Pytheas (4th century BCE) of the entire archipelago now known as the British Isles.

The Ancient Greek name is ultimately from a Celtic ethnonym, reconstructed as early Brythonic *Pritani, perhaps from a Proto-Celtic *Kʷritanī, *Kʷritenī, whence Welsh Prydyn (“Picts”), Old Irish Cruthne, Cru(i)then-túath (“Picts”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷer- (“to do”).

Pronunciation

Noun

Brittō m (genitive Brittōnis); third declension

  1. An inhabitant of Britain, a Briton.
  2. An inhabitant of Brittany, a Breton.

Declension

Third declension.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative Brittō Brittōnēs
Genitive Brittōnis Brittōnum
Dative Brittōnī Brittōnibus
Accusative Brittōnem Brittōnēs
Ablative Brittōne Brittōnibus
Vocative Brittō Brittōnēs

Descendants

Because Brittany (“Little Britain”) was settled at the end of the Roman era by migrants from Britain, the original descendants of Brittō often have the meaning "an inhabitant of Brittany", with a later reborrowing from Classical Latin being used to form the word for "an inhabitant of Great Britain".

References
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