Great Britain

Meaning

Proper Noun

• The island (and sometimes including some of the surrounding smaller islands) off the north-west coast of Europe made up of England, Scotland and Wales. Abbreviation: GB.
• England, Scotland and Wales in combination.
• The United Kingdom.
• A national sports team representing the United Kingdom in an international competition.

Related

Similar words

• Gramarye

Origin

• Of the island of Great Britain, to disambiguate Britain from Ireland or from Brittany, i.e. Lesser Britain (Μικρά Βρεττανία).
• From Middle English Great Brittaigne, Grete Britaigne, Grete breteygne, grete Bretayne, grete breteyne, parallelling Anglo-Norman la Grande Brettayne and 12th-century Latin maior Britannia. Ultimately from Ancient Greek: Μεγάλη Βρεττανία. Equivalent to great + Britain.
• King James VI and I in 1604 proclaimed himself "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland".