Briton
noun/ˈbɹɪt.ən/
Etymology From Old French Breton, from Latin Brittō. Doublet of Breton and Brython.
1
An inhabitant of Great Britain, particularly (historical) a Celt from the area of Roman Britain or (obsolete) a Welshman; a British person.
- At last the Saxons had killed nearly all the Britons, and the few who remained took refuge in the mountains, in that part of the country which we now call Wales, and in Cornwall.1905, Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, Our Island Story, page 59:
- He writhed for twenty minutes under the flowery and eulogistic periods of the president, and rose himself in the state of confused indignation which the Briton feels when he is publicly approved.1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
1 more example
- The ancient Britons were particularly fond of Anglesey, which the Romans knew as Mona.
2
A citizen of the United Kingdom or (historical, obsolete) its overseas empire.
- ...when these hateful termes of Scottes and Englishemen, shalbe abolisshed, and blotted oute for euer, and we shal al agre in the onely title and name of Britons...1547, James Harrison, An Exhortacion to the Scottes..., G v b:
- Rule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves: Britons never, never, never will be slaves.1740, “Rule, Britannia!”, James Thomson (lyrics), Thomas Arne (music):
4 more examples
- I glory in the name of Briton.1760, King George III, quoted in George Rose's 1860 Diaries and Correspondence..., Vol. II, p. 189
- Many of the rank and file had no better conception of the proud and sensitive Maori than was implied in the degrading 'nigger' theory, invariably applied by the unthinking Briton to all coloured races.1902, George Stoddart Whitmore, The Last Maori War in New Zealand..., page vi:
- The victims included 3 Canadians, 2 Irishmen, and 1 Briton.
- The hiker was a Briton from New Zealand.
- Synonyms
- the British, Brit, Britisher, limey, pom, pommy, Englishman, ancient Briton, Welshman, Briton, Tommy, pomey, rosbif
- Derived terms
- Britoness, Briton Ferry, North Briton, South Briton, West Briton
- Related terms
- Britain
- Hyponyms
57 terms
Britishman, Britoness, Englishman, Englishwoman, sassenach, Southron, Sows, Irishman, Irishwoman, Ulsterman, Ulsterwoman, jock, Jock, Jimmy, Scot, Scotchman, Scotchwoman, Scotsman, Scotswoman, sweaty sock, Taffy, Walian, Welshman, Welshwoman, Cornishman, Cornishwoman, lowlander, Lowlander, highlander, Highlander, Merseysider, moonraker, Smoggy, Teessider, Tyke, Wirralian, yam yam, Yorkshireman, Yorkshirewoman, Bristolian, Brummie, Cockney, Geordie, Glaswegian, Hartlepudlian, Liverpudlian, Janner, Leodensian, Loiner, Mackem, Manc, Mancunian, monkey hanger, Sand Dancer, Scouser, Sotonian, Weegie