britannique
/bʁi.ta.nik/feminine, masculine
The English phrase 'british' is translated into French as britannique.
britannique is an adjective meaning 'of Britain'. When used as a noun, the capitalized form Britannique refers to the citizens or inhabitants of Britain. To specifically refer to the British English language, use the phrase anglais britannique.
Meaning: of Britain (adj)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective britannique is invariable in gender, meaning it has the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. To make the adjective plural, add an 's' to form britanniques.
How do you pronounce it?
/bʁi.ta.nik/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While britannique is the official term, French speakers often use anglais as a general synonym for 'British' in casual conversation, even when referring to people from Scotland or Wales.
- The word britannique is a direct descendant of the Latin word britannicus, which was used by ancient Romans to describe the inhabitants of the islands.
- Unlike the word anglais, which is very common in daily speech, britannique is often perceived as more formal, administrative or diplomatic in tone.
Examples in context
- Tom est un citoyen britannique.Tom is a British citizen.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a British citizen using britannique.Tatoeba #6018353 by Morkus, translation #5046465 by Hybrid
- Il a un flegme très britannique.He's got some very British phlegm.This sentence demonstrates the use of britannique to describe a personality trait.Tatoeba #873414 by U2FS, translation #873412 by U2FS
- Il est fier d'être sujet britannique.He is proud of being a British subject.This sentence shows the use of britannique in the context of being a British subject.Tatoeba #15400 by Aiji, translation #294065 by voxbubnya
- La population britanniqueThe British population
- La culture anglaiseBritish culture
- La culture britannique est riche et diversifiée.British culture is rich and diverse.
- Les Brits sont réputés pour leur sens de l'humour.The Brits are known for their sense of humor.
- 71 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are discussing their favorite music at a cafe.
- HugoTu aimes la musique britannique ?Do you like British music?
- LéaOui, j'adore les groupes britanniques.Yes, I love British bands.
- HugoMoi aussi, c'est mon style préféré.Me too, it's my favorite style.
- LéaHugo, tu devrais écouter ce groupe.Hugo, you should listen to this band.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “british” translations and entries britannique, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries britannique, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
