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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The pair collided in Austria in June with the Briton forced to retire, while last week in Austin he was hit with a controversial penalty after overtaking Verstappen off the track. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 But Binotto, who was in charge of Ferrari between 2019 and 2022, admitted the Briton would not have signed for the Scuderia under his stewardship. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024 After finishing second ahead of Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix two weeks later, the Dutchman still led the Briton by 84 points. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 The Briton made a big impression on his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari, finishing seventh in Jeddah. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024 That did little to temper the Briton’s Olympic experience. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2024 That evening, at the London Aquatics Centre, Prince William and his wife Catherine are in attendance to cheer home favorite, world record holder and defending champion Rebecca Adlington in a race regarded as a head-to-head between the Briton and rising star Lotte Friis. Aimee Lewis, CNN, 27 July 2024 Fellow Briton and Sky teammate Christopher Froome finishes second, 3 minutes, 21 seconds behind. 2012 — Ernie Els wins his fourth major championship in an astonishing finish, rallying to beat Adam Scott in the British Open when the Aussie bogeys the last four holes. Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2024 The first was Briton Mike Beuttler, who raced between 1971 and 1973. Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 15 July 2024

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 5 Nov. 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

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