British Empire

The geographic and political units formerly under British control, including dominions, colonies, dependencies, trust territories, and protectorates. At the height of its power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the empire comprised about one quarter of the world's land area and population and encompassed territories on every continent, including the British Isles, British North America, British West Indies, British Guiana, British West Africa, British East Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand.

British Empire

(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (formerly) the United Kingdom and the territories under its control, which reached its greatest extent at the end of World War I when it embraced over a quarter of the world's population and more than a quarter of the world's land surface

Brit′ish Em′pire
n.

(formerly) the United Kingdom and the territories under the leadership or control of the British crown.

[1595–1605]

Thesaurus Legend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun

British Empire - a former empire consisting of Great Britain and all the territories under its control; reached its greatest extent at the end of World War I; it included the British Isles, British West Indies, Canada, British Guiana; British West Africa, British East Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand; "the sun never sets on the British Empire"

British West Indies - the islands in the West Indies that were formerly under British control, including the Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad

Canada - a nation in northern North America; the French were the first Europeans to settle in mainland Canada; "the border between the United States and Canada is the longest unguarded border in the world"

Australia, Commonwealth of Australia - a nation occupying the whole of the Australian continent; Aboriginal tribes are thought to have migrated from southeastern Asia 20,000 years ago; first Europeans were British convicts sent there as a penal colony

British Isles - Great Britain and Ireland and adjacent islands in the north Atlantic

British East Africa - the former British territories of eastern Africa, including Kenya, Tanganyika, Uganda, and Zanzibar

British West Africa - the former British territories of western Africa, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Gambia, Togo, Sierra Leone, and the Gold Coast

Bharat, India, Republic of India - a republic in the Asian subcontinent in southern Asia; second most populous country in the world; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1947

British Guiana, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Guyana - a republic in northeastern South America; formerly part of the British Empire, but it achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966

New Zealand - an independent country within the British Commonwealth; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1907; known for sheep and spectacular scenery

Translations

British Empire

n the British Empire → das Britische Weltreich

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Dictionary browser	?		Full browser	?
Argonne Argonne Forest Australia ayah battle of Caporetto battle of Jutland battle of Soissons-Reims battle of Tannenberg battle of the Aisne battle of the Chemin-des-Dames Battle of the Marne Battle of the Somme battle of Verdun battle of Ypres Belleau Wood BEM Bharat Britannia British Commonwealth of Nations	Let England have its navigation and fleet -- let Scotland have its navigation and fleet -- let Wales have its navigation and fleet -- let Ireland have its navigation and fleet -- let those four of the constituent parts of the British empire be be under four independent governments, and it is easy to perceive how soon they would each dwindle into comparative insignificance. Federalist Papers Authored by John Jay by Jay, John View in context Moreover, he had a love affair of large and unusual dimensions and irregular circumstances and the still largely decorous British public learnt with reluctance and alarm that a sympathetic treatment of this affair was inseparable from the exclusive acquisition of the priceless secret of aerial stability by the British Empire. The War in the Air by Wells, H.G. View in context The dissolution of allegiance to the British crown, the severance of the colonies from the British Empire, and their actual existence as independent States, were definitively established in fact, by war and peace. John Quincy Adams,"Orations" by Adams, John Quincy View in context	Britannic Britart britches Brite brith Briticism briticize British British America British Antarctic Territory British anti-lewisite British Association screw thread British Cabinet British Cameroons British capacity unit British capital British Civil Airworthiness Requirements British Columbia British Columbian British Commonwealth British Commonwealth of Nations British Council British Crown British disease British East Africa British Empire British empiricism British English British Guiana British gum British Honduras British House of Commons British House of Lords British Imperial System British India British Indian Ocean Territory British Isles British Israelite British Labour Party British Legion British Library British lion British List British longhair British lop British Malaya British monetary unit British Museum British National Party British North America British Parliament	British Educational Suppliers Association British Effluent and Water Association British Egg Association British Egg Industry Council British Egg Information Service British Egg Marketing Board British Egg Products Association British Egyptian Business Association British Elastic Rope Sports Association British Elbow and Shoulder Society British Election Studies British Election Study British Electric Flight Association British Electric Foundation British Electrical Approvals Board British Electrical Repairs Limited British Electricity Transmission and Trading Arrangements British Electrophoresis Society British Electrostatic Control Association British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers' Association British Electrotechnical Approvals Board British Embassy Football Club British Embassy Study Group British Emirates British Emirates British Empire British Empire and Commonwealth Games British Empire and Commonwealth Games British Empire and Commonwealth Museum British Empire Day British Empire Day British Empire Defence Division British Empire Exhibition British Empire Games British Empire Games British Empire Leprosy Relief Association British Empire Leprosy Relief Association British Empire Leprosy Relief Association British Empire Medal British Empire Motor Club British Empire Naturalist Association British Empire Service League British empiricism British empiricism British empiricism British empiricism British Empiricists British Empiricists British Empiricists British Empiricists British Endodontic Society British Energy Generation Limited British Energy Group, PLC British Energy NNC British Engineering Institutions-Egypt British Engineering Standards Association

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Argonne
Argonne Forest
Australia
ayah
battle of Caporetto
battle of Jutland
battle of Soissons-Reims
battle of Tannenberg
battle of the Aisne
battle of the Chemin-des-Dames
Battle of the Marne
Battle of the Somme
battle of Verdun
battle of Ypres
Belleau Wood
BEM
Bharat
Britannia
British Commonwealth of Nations

Let England have its navigation and fleet -- let Scotland have its navigation and fleet -- let Wales have its navigation and fleet -- let Ireland have its navigation and fleet -- let those four of the constituent parts of the British empire be be under four independent governments, and it is easy to perceive how soon they would each dwindle into comparative insignificance.

Federalist Papers Authored by John Jay by Jay, John View in context

Moreover, he had a love affair of large and unusual dimensions and irregular circumstances and the still largely decorous British public learnt with reluctance and alarm that a sympathetic treatment of this affair was inseparable from the exclusive acquisition of the priceless secret of aerial stability by the British Empire.

The War in the Air by Wells, H.G. View in context

The dissolution of allegiance to the British crown, the severance of the colonies from the British Empire, and their actual existence as independent States, were definitively established in fact, by war and peace.

John Quincy Adams,"Orations" by Adams, John Quincy View in context

British Antarctic Territory

British anti-lewisite