Britain

Britain
/brit"n/, n.
2. Britannia (def. 1).

* * *

I
Name historically applied to the island of Great Britain.

Britain is used especially when referring to its pre-Roman and Roman periods and to its early Anglo-Saxon period. It is the Anglicized form of Latin Britannia. See also United Kingdom.
II
(as used in expressions)
Britain Battle of
Albert prince consort of Great Britain and Ireland

* * *

also called  Great Britain,  

      island off the western coast of Europe that consists of England, Scotland, and Wales (qq.v.). Both terms are often used synonymously with United Kingdom (q.v.), which also includes Northern Ireland (q.v.). Administratively, Britain includes the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Islands, the Hebrides, the Orkney and Shetland islands, and other smaller offshore isles but does not include the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Britain — may refer to:In geography: * Great Britain, an island to the northwest of Continental Europe * Britain, Virginia, an unincorporated village in Loudoun County, Virginia, USAIn politics * United Kingdom, a sovereign state consisting of Great… …   Wikipedia

  • Britain — Britain, Great Britain, the British Isles, England, etc. 1. Use of these terms causes confusion. Great Britain refers to the largest island in the group, which is divided between England, Scotland, and Wales. Politically, it means these three… …   Modern English usage

  • Britain — [brit′ n] GREAT BRITAIN …   English World dictionary

  • Britain — (mit dem Beinamen Mael der Kahle) ist eine Figur der irischen Sage. Im Lebor Gabala Eirenn wird er als Sohn des Fergus von der roten Seite bezeichnet und gilt als Ahnvater der Britannier. In Wales gibt es eine verwandte Figur, Prydein den Sohn… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Britain — c.1300, Breteyne, from O.Fr. Bretaigne, from L. Britannia, earlier Brittania, from Brittani the Britons (see BRITON (Cf. Briton)). The O.E. was Brytenlond and meant Wales. If there was a Celtic name for the island, it has not been recorded …   Etymology dictionary

  • Britain — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Britain », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) Britain est le nom anglais historique… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Britain — noun a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; Great Britain is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom (Freq. 2) • Syn: ↑United Kingdom, ↑UK …   Useful english dictionary

  • Britain —    Roman province from 43 ca. 410, when Honorios (q.v.) informed Britain that it must see to its own defense against the Saxons, who had menaced the province s southern shore since the third century. Constantius Chlorus, father of Constantine I… …   Historical dictionary of Byzantium

  • Britain — noun /ˈbɹɪ.tən,ˈbɹɪ.ʔn̩/ a) The United Kingdom. The name of Britain [...] ought to answer every purpose, or if that be thought too condensed, it may be pluralized into The Britains. (The Times, 16 July 1874, 10/6, cited after OED). b) Brittany.… …   Wiktionary

  • Britain — /ˈbrɪtn/ (say britn) noun 1. → Great Britain. 2. Battle of, a series of heavy bombing attacks on Britain by the German air force in August–October 1940, repulsed by a small force of Royal Air Force fighters. {Middle English Bretayne, from Old… …  

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”