British etymology

Etymology

The word "British" is derived from the ancient Celtic term "Brythonic", meaning "the people who live in Britain". It was first used to refer to the Celtic-speaking tribes living in Britain during the Roman period. After the Anglo-Saxon conquest in the 5th and 6th centuries, the term "British" was applied to all of the inhabitants of Britain, regardless of their ethnic or linguistic background.

Meaning

The word "British" has several meanings:

• Adjective: Relating to Great Britain or the United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Noun: A person from Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
• Adjective: Pertaining to the Celtic languages spoken in Britain, such as Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.

Origin

The term "Brythonic" is thought to derive from the Proto-Celtic root bret-, meaning "to cut" or "to divide". This may refer to the division of the Celtic-speaking tribes into different kingdoms and territories. The term "British" was first recorded in the 6th century by the Roman writer Gildas, who used it to refer to the Celts of Britain.

British relate terms

• Briton

  Etymology The word Briton is derived from the Latin ethnonym Britanni which in turn

• Breton

  Etymology The name Breton is derived from the Celtic word Brython which was used by

• Britisher

  Etymology The word Britisher is derived from the Old English word Brytt which means

• British

  Etymology The word British is derived from the ancient Celtic term Brythonic meaning

• un British

  Etymology The word un is derived from the Old English prefix un which had the same

• British

  Etymology The word British is derived from the ancient Celtic term Brythonic meaning

• Canada

  Etymology The name Canada is derived from the Iroquoian word kanata meaning village

• limey

  Etymology The term limey is derived from the British practice of serving sailors lime

• naff

  Etymology The word naff is believed to have originated from the Romani Gypsy word n

• endive

  Etymology The word endive is derived from the French word endive which in turn come

• airplane

  Etymology Old French avion c 13th century Medieval Latin avis bird Meaning

• doolally

  Etymology doolally adjective Meaning Mad crazy foolish Origin The origin of t

• leaflet

  Etymology The word leaflet is derived from Middle English lefflet which is a diminut

• country

  Etymology The word country is derived from the Old French word cuntree which in turn

• land

  Etymology Old English land Proto Germanic landuz Indo European lendh to li

• nation

  Etymology The word nation originates from the Latin word natio which means birth