English Reference

Word

brit

US/ˈbɹɪt/

UK/bɹˈɪt/

Definitions

01a British person

B1

n. an informal word for a person from Great Britain or the United Kingdom.

n. an informal demonym for a British person or citizen of the United Kingdom.

“There were several Brits staying at the same hotel in Spain.”

“The survey indicated that many Brits living abroad still prefer to consume news from domestic media outlets.”

Informal

Synonyms

Briton

02music award

B2 · Music

n. a short name for a Brit Award, which is a famous prize for musicians in the UK.

n. a common clipping for a Brit Award, an annual trophy presented by the British Phonographic Industry for excellence in music.

“The band was thrilled to win their first Brit for Best Group.”

“Winning a Brit can significantly boost a domestic artist's profile in the international music market.”

British English · Informal

03British

B2

adj. a short way to write 'British'.

adj. an abbreviation for 'British', typically used in headlines, lists, or informal notes.

“The menu featured classic Brit food like fish and chips.”

“The tabloid headline used 'Brit' to save space while referring to the national football team's recent performance.”

Informal

Synonyms

04Jewish covenant

C2 · Religion

n. a religious word for a holy agreement or a ceremony in the Jewish faith.

n. a transliteration of the Hebrew word for 'covenant', specifically referring to the Brit Milah (circumcision ceremony).

“The family gathered together to celebrate the baby's brit.”

“The rabbi explained the historical significance of the brit as a symbol of the enduring covenant.”

Technical

Synonyms

Etymology

1901, either a shortening of Britisher or Briton, or a back-formation from British.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

britNounbrittleNoun

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/brit

English Reference