brit

Everyday

1. (informal) A person from Britain (the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). tree →
2. (Brits) British people in general, often as tourists: Brits abroad. tree →

In the lessons

A short, friendly or jokey word used in news, chat and especially by Americans and Australians. In stories it marks a British character. Phrases: Brits abroad, a typical Brit, Brit pop.

Examples

• My American pen pal calls me "the Brit". tree →
• Lots of Brits go to Spain on holiday. tree →
• As a typical Brit, he talks about the weather a lot. tree →
• The Brits won three gold medals. tree →
• (Australia) Some Aussies call Brits "Poms" as a joke. tree →
• She's a Brit living in Canada. tree →

Note

Written with a capital B: Brit, Brits. Informal; formal words are Briton or British person. Not all people from the British Isles like it: people from Ireland are not Brits.

In Jewish tradition

This is not a British person. In Sefer Yetzirah it is the Hebrew word for covenant, and here it is the name of a book, the Brit.

Interpretation. Brit means the covenant between God and Israel, especially circumcision, and Sefer Yetzirah says God made a covenant with Abraham.

Examples

• Barges''*) quotes, from the Paris Cod. 7()'2 the following passage, which occurs also in the Brit. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Written with a capital B: Brit, Brits. Informal; formal words are Briton or British person. Not all people from the British Isles like it: people from Ireland are not Brits.