Meaning & use
British
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
relating to the United Kingdom, its people, or its culture
Grammar: Used before a noun: British people, British culture. It can also follow a linking verb: She is British.
Patterns
- British person
- British culture
- be British
She holds a British passport and lives in London.
The British weather is often rainy and changeable.
He speaks with a British accent.
nounplural
the people of the United Kingdom as a group
Grammar: Used with a plural verb: The British are known for their tea. Not used for a single person.
Patterns
- the British
The British are famous for their love of queuing.
The British have a long history of parliamentary democracy.
Common combinations
- British English
- In British English, 'colour' has a 'u'.
- British Isles
- The British Isles include Great Britain and Ireland.
- British citizen
- He became a British citizen last year.
- British Museum
- The British Museum is free to enter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- UK
- UK is an abbreviation for United Kingdom and is used more in official or political contexts; British is more common for people and culture.
- Britannic
- This is a rare, literary word meaning the same but is mostly used in historical names like 'Her Britannic Majesty'.
Word family
Commonly confused: British or English? British or Welsh?
British vs English
English means from England only, while British means from the whole United Kingdom. A Scottish person is British but not English.
British vs Welsh
Welsh means from Wales; Welsh people are also British.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'British' correctly?
Choose one answer.
British is an adjective, so it can follow 'is' without a noun. Option 0 wrongly uses 'a' before an adjective; option 2 needs 'a' before 'British woman'; option 3 uses the noun 'Britain' instead of the adjective.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “British”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.