United Kingdom

American  

noun

1. a kingdom in NW Europe, consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: formerly comprising Great Britain and Ireland 1801–1922. 94,242 sq. mi. (244,100 sq. km). London. U.K.

---

United Kingdom British  

noun

1.  UK.  a kingdom of NW Europe, consisting chiefly of the island of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland: became the world's leading colonial power in the 18th century; the first country to undergo the Industrial Revolution. It became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1921, after the rest of Ireland became autonomous as the Irish Free State. Primarily it is a trading nation, the chief exports being manufactured goods; joined the Common Market (now the European Union) in January 1973. Official language: English; Gaelic, Welsh, and other minority languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: pound sterling. Capital: London. Pop: 63 395 574 (2013 est). Area: 244 110 sq km (94 251 sq miles) See also Great Britain

---

United Kingdom Cultural  

1. Part of the official name of the British nation; the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It includes England, Scotland, Wales, and six counties of Ireland, ruled by the king or queen of England, and represented in the nation's parliament.

---

Compare meaning

How does united-kingdom compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Great Britain vs. United Kingdom

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

United Kingdom

Study co-authors include FAU medical students Hunter Scott and John Dunn, along with Yanna Willett, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

The missing include Indians and others from Ukraine, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and elsewhere.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

They are certainly active in Japan and the United Kingdom, and they are starting to stir in the U.S., as well.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

GKN Aerospace, based in the United Kingdom, is a major international manufacturer of airplane parts, with plants in 12 countries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

The countries in the West, particularly the United Kingdom and the United States, wanted to reward Mr. de Klerk for his reforms, believing that this would encourage him to go further.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela