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Definition of great britain
great britain
Adjective:British
• noun
1
The political entity consisting of England, Scotland, and Wales, historically functioning as a unified kingdom and often used loosely in everyday speech to refer to the entire United Kingdom.
2
A large island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe, consisting of the contiguous territories of England, Scotland, and Wales.
Example
"Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles and the ninth-largest island in the world."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for great britainWord Nuance & Usage
Great Britain refers strictly to the principal island comprising England, Scotland, and Wales; it is often erroneously used as a synonym for the United Kingdom, which also includes Northern Ireland.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Great britain. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/great%20britain