Britannia

American  

[bri-tan-ee-uh, -tan-yuh] / brɪˈtæn i ə, -ˈtæn yə /

noun

1. the ancient Roman name of the island of Great Britain, especially the S part where the early Roman provinces were.

2. the British Empire.

3. Chiefly Literary.

   1. Great Britain.

   2. the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

4. the figure of a seated woman with trident and helmet used as a symbolic representation of Great Britain and the British Empire.

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Britannia British  

/ brɪˈtænɪə /

noun

1. a female warrior carrying a trident and wearing a helmet, personifying Great Britain or the British Empire

2. (in the ancient Roman Empire) the S part of Great Britain

3. short for Britannia coin

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Example Sentences

Within a few years the academy switched to a lighter tin-based alloy known as Britannia metal, plated in layers of copper, nickel silver and gold.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

“The shakeup of the geopolitical order and renewed attacks on the Federal Reserve are spurring a flight to safety,” said Neil Welsh, head of metals at Britannia Global Markets, in a note published Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

The HMY Britannia is currently docked at Leith in Edinburgh and has become a tourist attraction.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

It's like when Stoke were at the Britannia Stadium and we'd get a throw and the crowd would be cheering and cheering until Rory Delap threw it, because it was an event.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025

“I believe you they dread him. Not but what he’s artful, even in his defiance of them. No silver, sir. Britannia metal, every spoon.”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens