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• brit
  brit

  noun

  the group of small marine animals forming the food of baleen whales.
• Brit
  Brit

  noun

  a native or inhabitant of Great Britain, especially of England; Briton.
• Brit.
  Brit.

  abbreviation

  Britain.

brit

¹ American  

[brit] / brɪt /

Or britt

noun

1. the group of small marine animals forming the food of baleen whales.

2. the young of herring and sprat.

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Brit ² American  

[brit] / brɪt /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Great Britain, especially of England; Briton.

   He married a Brit.

2. Disparaging. a member of the British army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Great Britain or its inhabitants; British.

   The syllabus for the course in Brit Lit was none too inspiring.

Brit. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Britain.

2. British.

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Brit ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Britain

2. British

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brit ² British  

/ brɪt /

noun

1. the young of a herring, sprat, or similar fish

2. minute marine crustaceans, esp copepods, forming food for many fishes and whales

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Brit ³ British  

/ brɪt /

noun

1. informal a British person

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Etymology

Origin of brit¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; perhaps from Cornish brȳthel “mackerel”; akin to Old Cornish brȳth, Welsh brith “speckled”

Origin of Brit²

First recorded in 1900–05; by shortening

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

brit Brit Brit.

He was trained in the Jewish religious practice of brit milah — a profession generally spelled “mohel” in English and pronounced “moil.”

From New York Times ● Aug. 15, 2023

When she can, she conducts brit milahs for local families — at most “a few a month,” she said.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 6, 2019

Same goes for when a mother asks her to officiate a brit milah — a less controversial procedure, though a small but growing number of Jews are questioning the tradition’s merits.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 6, 2019

Turquoise's 53 Summer Street is a surreal location for psychedelic-era enlightenment in a track that BeltwayBandit describes as "really scrumptious 60s brit psychedelic whimsy, sort of Kinksesque but quite unique".

From The Guardian ● May 24, 2012

"Conyfish" can mean several different fishes, so that it is not possible to be sure what Smith had in mind; so with "brit."

From The Bounty of the Chesapeake Fishing in Colonial Virginia by James Wharton

“You stand outside and your ears are ringing,” said Kennerley, 59, a Brit who has lived in Singapore for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

Rapper Dave, who has numerous Brit Awards, Ivor Novellos and a Mercury Prize to his name, opens up Kamal's track, The People That Saved Me, with poignant lyrics about love and memories.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Manchester has already poached the Brit Awards from London after half a century in the capital.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

The Brit has stared down near-certain elimination in multiple matches, repeatedly breaking his opponents’ momentum with Houdini-like on-court acts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

I was happy—relieved—there was space between Brit and me.

From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds

"I still struggle to call myself a black Brit. I grew up here all my life and I have strong ties here, but I'm also Nigerian" says Afolabi.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2022

"I had a little bit of nerves - I was a big favourite against a young Brit. I'm excited to see how he's going to do in the future," Norrie told Amazon Prime.

From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2022

Encore has polished acting, direction and writing by three different sets of Brit. ish film talents.

From Time Magazine Archive

“But, listen, Brit. When they pick up this Erlone fellow, he’s going to tell the cops and the papers’ll have the story anyway. So call ’em now.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

Brit., though that publication is by no means responsible for the opinions expressed.

From Esoteric Christianity, or The Lesser Mysteries by Annie Wood Besant