What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Englishman vs British - What's the difference?

englishman | british |

As a noun englishman

is a male native or inhabitant of england; a man who is english by birth, descent, or naturalization.

As an adjective british is

typically british.

englishman

English

Noun

(Englishmen)
  • A male native or inhabitant of England; a man who is English by birth, descent, or naturalization.
  • * c. 1541 , The Chronicle of Calais , London 1846:
  • the Ynglishe men' had great vyctorye, for there was taken and slayne a greate nombar, and there was slayne the lorde Morley and ' Englishe man .
  • * 1931 , (Noel Coward), "Mad Dogs and Englishmen":
  • In Bangkok at twelve o'clock they foam at the mouth and run, / But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
  • * 2003 , Richard Schickel, "Sweet Agonies of Affection", Time , 3 Nov 2003:
  • He has his dark -- well, darkish -- side under control. Which is to say that he is an Englishman , well practiced in masking pain and absurdity and descents into sheer goofiness with mannerly behavior, sly irony and stiff upper lips.
  • (UK) The grey partridge (in opposition to the Frenchman, ie the red-legged partridge).
  • Coordinate terms

    * (male native of England) Englishwoman, Irishman, Scotsman, Welshman, Briton

    british

    English

    Alternative forms

    * Brittish (archaic)

    Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • With the , the citizens or inhabitants of Britain collectively.
  • With the , the citizens or inhabitants of the United Kingdom collectively.
  • (history) The ancient inhabitants of the southern part of Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasion, also called ancient Britons.
  • The Celtic language of the ancient Britons
  • The British English language.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of Britain (meaning the British Isles)
  • Of the United Kingdom.
  • Of the Commonwealth of Nations, or the British Empire.
  • (historical) Of the ancient inhabitants of the southern part of Britain; Brythonic.
  • Of British English.
  • Statistics

    *