Great Britain

Meaning

1. A large island (sometimes also including some of the surrounding smaller islands) off the north-west coast of Western Europe, made up of England, Scotland, and Wales.
2. (broadly) The United Kingdom, a kingdom and country in Northern Europe including the island of Great Britain as well as Northern Ireland on the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland.
3. (historical) A former kingdom existing on the island of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, consisting of England, Scotland and Wales; it was in personal union with the Kingdom of Ireland and later merged with it. Official name: Kingdom of Great Britain.
4. England, Scotland and Wales in combination, to the exclusion of Northern Ireland.
5. The United Kingdom national team (often inclusive of Northern Ireland).

Synonyms

Britain

United Kingdom

GB

🇬🇧

UK

🇬🇧

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

U.K.

🇬🇧

England

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Translations

Grande-Bretagne

Gran Bretagna

Grã-Bretanha

Gran Bretaña

Großbritannien

Gran Bretanya

Groot-Brittannië

Μεγάλη Βρετανία

بريطانيا العظمى

Büyük Britanya

Grand Bretanha

Britannia

Grossbritannien

Gran Bretanha

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: Great Brittaigne

Cognate with Anglo-Norman: Grande Brettayne

In summary

Of the island of Great Britain, to disambiguate Britain from Brittany, i.e. Lesser Britain. From Middle English Great Brittaigne, Grete Britaigne, Grete breteygne, grete Bretayne, grete breteyne, paralleling Anglo-Norman Grande Brettayne and c. 12th-century Medieval Latin Britannia Maior. Equivalent to Great + Britain.
King James VI and I in 1604 proclaimed himself “King of Great Britain, France and Ireland”.