noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈbɹɪt.ən/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪtən
homophone: Britain
CMU ARPABET:B R IH1 T AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An inhabitant of Great Britain, particularly (historical) a Celt from the area of Roman Britain or (obsolete) a Welshman; a British person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The ancient Britons were particularly fond of Anglesey, which the Romans knew as Mona.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A citizen of the United Kingdom or (historical, obsolete) its overseas empire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The victims included 3 Canadians, 2 Irishmen, and 1 Briton.
The hiker was a Briton from New Zealand.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective
Meaning 3
characteristic of or associated with the Britons
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the Briton inhabitants of England
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
an inhabitant of southern Britain prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Celt, Kelt
5
noun
Meaning 5
a native or inhabitant of Great Britain
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Britisher, Brit
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: European
Narrower terms: English person, patrial
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin Brittōder. Old French Bretonder. English Briton From Old French Breton, from Latin Brittō. Doublet of Breton and Brython.
Across languages
Translations
100 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
brità
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Catalan:
britana
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Catalan:
britó
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Catalan:
britona
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Finnish:
britti
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Finnish:
brittiläinen
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
German:
Britannier
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Ancient Greek:
Βρεττανός
(Brettanós)
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Italian:
Britanni
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Latin:
Britannus
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Latvian:
brits
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Latvian:
briti
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Marathi:
ब्रिटन
(briṭan)
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Old English:
Brett
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Romanian:
britonici
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Russian:
бритт
(britt)
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Sicilian:
Britanni
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Spanish:
britano
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Welsh:
Brython
— ancient Celts in the area of modern England and Wales
Afrikaans:
Brit
— citizen of Great Britain
Arabic:
بَرِيطَانِيّ
(barīṭāniyy)
— citizen of Great Britain
Arabic:
بَرِيطَانِيَّة
(barīṭāniyya)
— citizen of Great Britain
Arabic:
بِرِيطَانِيّ
(birīṭāniyy)
— citizen of Great Britain
Arabic:
بِرِيطَانِيَّة
(birīṭāniyya)
— citizen of Great Britain
Armenian:
բրիտանացի
(britanacʻi)
— citizen of Great Britain
Asturian:
británicu
— citizen of Great Britain
Asturian:
británica
— citizen of Great Britain
Belarusian:
брыта́нец
(brytánjec)
— citizen of Great Britain
Belarusian:
брыта́нка
(brytánka)
— citizen of Great Britain
Bulgarian:
брита́нец
(británec)
— citizen of Great Britain
Bulgarian:
брита́нка
(británka)
— citizen of Great Britain
Bulgarian:
брита́нче
(británče)
— citizen of Great Britain
Chinese Mandarin:
英國人 /英国人
(Yīngguórén)
— citizen of Great Britain
Czech:
Brit
— citizen of Great Britain
Czech:
Britka
— citizen of Great Britain
Danish:
brite
— citizen of Great Britain
Dutch:
Brit
— citizen of Great Britain
Estonian:
britt
— citizen of Great Britain
Faroese:
breti
— citizen of Great Britain
Finnish:
britti
— citizen of Great Britain
French:
Britannique
— citizen of Great Britain
French:
Grand-Breton
— citizen of Great Britain
French:
Grande-Bretonne
— citizen of Great Britain
Galician:
británico
— citizen of Great Britain
German:
Brite
— citizen of Great Britain
German:
Britin
— citizen of Great Britain
Greek:
Βρετανός
(Vretanós)
— citizen of Great Britain
Greek:
Βρετανή
(Vretaní)
— citizen of Great Britain
Greek:
Βρετανίδα
(Vretanída)
— citizen of Great Britain
Ancient Greek:
Βρεττανός
(Brettanós)
— citizen of Great Britain
Ancient Greek:
Βρεττανίς
(Brettanís)
— citizen of Great Britain
Hebrew:
בְּרִיטִי
(briti)
— citizen of Great Britain
Hebrew:
בריטית
(britít)
— citizen of Great Britain
Icelandic:
Breti
— citizen of Great Britain
Indonesian:
orang Inggris
— citizen of Great Britain
Japanese:
イギリス人
(igirisujin)
— citizen of Great Britain
Kazakh:
британдық
(britandyq)
— citizen of Great Britain
Kazakh:
британиялық
(britaniälyq)
— citizen of Great Britain
Korean:
영국인
(yeonggugin)
— citizen of Great Britain
Korean:
영국 사람
(yeongguk saram)
— citizen of Great Britain
Kyrgyz:
британиялык
(britaniyalık)
— citizen of Great Britain
Latvian:
brits
— citizen of Great Britain
Latvian:
briti
— citizen of Great Britain
Latvian:
britiete
— citizen of Great Britain
Lithuanian:
britas
— citizen of Great Britain
Lithuanian:
britė
— citizen of Great Britain
Macedonian:
Британец
(Britanec)
— citizen of Great Britain
Macedonian:
Британка
(Britanka)
— citizen of Great Britain
Marathi:
ब्रिटन
(briṭan)
— citizen of Great Britain
Norwegian Bokmål:
brite
— citizen of Great Britain
Norwegian Nynorsk:
brite
— citizen of Great Britain
Old English:
Brytas
— citizen of Great Britain
Old English:
Bryttas
— citizen of Great Britain
Old English:
Bryttwealas
— citizen of Great Britain
Old English:
Bryttwalas
— citizen of Great Britain
Persian:
بریتانیایی
(beritâniyâyi)
— citizen of Great Britain
Polish:
Brytyjczyk
— citizen of Great Britain
Polish:
Brytyjka
— citizen of Great Britain
Portuguese:
britânico
— citizen of Great Britain
Portuguese:
britânica
— citizen of Great Britain
Romanian:
britanic
— citizen of Great Britain
Romanian:
britanică
— citizen of Great Britain
Russian:
брита́нец
(británec)
— citizen of Great Britain
Russian:
брита́нка
(británka)
— citizen of Great Britain
Serbo-Croatian:
Бритонац
— citizen of Great Britain
Serbo-Croatian:
Брита́нац
— citizen of Great Britain
Serbo-Croatian:
Britonac
— citizen of Great Britain
Serbo-Croatian:
Británac
— citizen of Great Britain
Slovak:
Brit
— citizen of Great Britain
Slovak:
Britka
— citizen of Great Britain
Spanish:
británico
— citizen of Great Britain
Spanish:
británica
— citizen of Great Britain
Spanish:
reinounidense
— citizen of Great Britain
Swedish:
britt
— citizen of Great Britain
Tajik:
британӣ
(britani)
— citizen of Great Britain
Ukrainian:
брита́нець
(brytánecʹ)
— citizen of Great Britain
Ukrainian:
брита́нка
(brytánka)
— citizen of Great Britain
