Briton

noun

Brit·​on ˈbri-tᵊn How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples inhabiting Britain prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2
: a native or subject of Great Britain
especially : englishman

Examples of Briton in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Introducing Marley as the biracial son of a white Briton then a Natty Dread (natural dreadlocks) figure doesn’t suffice as the explanation for his quasi-revolutionary artistic expression. Armond White, National Review, 16 Feb. 2024 Additionally, Izzard, a Briton who publicly came out as transgender way back in 1985, has carved out a parallel path as a character actor in TV, cinematic and theatrical dramas. David Marchese Photo Illustration By Bráulio Amado, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 Equal-opportunity offensiveness — to gays, Jews, French, Finns and every kind of Briton — makes the show inoffensive to all. Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 Trevelyan, whose ancestors owned more than 1,000 slaves in the Caribbean island of Grenada in the 18th and 19th centuries, has formed a poignant partnership with a descendant of slaves — fellow Briton and serving British lawmaker Clive Lewis. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 15 Nov. 2023 In an interview with Fortune, the 57-year-old Briton carefully laid out his plans and timeline for entering the United States, where his brand would likely have to sell upwards of 100,000 vehicles a year to justify the risk. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2023 These profits have boosted executive pay in some companies, even as the average Briton has continued to struggle to make ends meet. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2023 Few players have shown how to do that better than Murray, who won the men’s singles title at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, and showed why Tuesday afternoon in his 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ryan Peniston, a fellow Briton. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 July 2023 Vice presidents include a Briton, a Russian, an Indian and a German. Joe McDonald, ajc, 15 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Briton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Breton, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin Britton-, Britto, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh Brython

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Briton was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near Briton

Cite this Entry

“Briton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Briton. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Briton

noun
Brit·​on ˈbrit-ən How to pronounce Briton (audio)
1
: a member of one of the peoples living in Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasions
2

More from Merriam-Webster on Briton

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