british
n. uncountablen. the people who come from or live in the United Kingdom. You use this word to talk about the group as a whole.
n. the collective body of people inhabiting or originating from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Plural in construction; functions as a collective noun referring to the entire population.
The British are known for their love of tea.
During the summer months, many British travel to the Mediterranean for their annual holidays.
The cultural identity of the British has been shaped by centuries of maritime history, industrial innovation, and a complex relationship with the European continent.
From Middle English Brittish, from Old English Brettisċ. The spelling with single -t- appears in the 13th century under the influence of Medieval Latin Britannicus, but spelling with -tt- persists alongside -t- during the 13th to at least 18th centuries. In reference to the island of Great Britain from ca. 1400 (Latin natio Anglica sive Britannica, Brittisshe occean 1398, the Britishe nacion 1548). As a noun, referring to the British people, British soldiers, etc. from ca. 1600.
Always used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the people as a group. It functions as a plural noun and takes a plural verb.
He is a BritishHe is British'British' is an adjective or a collective noun; to refer to a single person, use 'a British person' or 'a Briton'.