Britain

This article deals with the history of the word Britain. For clarification of terminology and an overview of articles about Britain and Ireland see British Isles (terminology).

Etymology

The etymology of the name Britain is thought to derive from a Celtic word, Pritani, "painted", a reference to the inhabitants of the islands' use of body-paint and tattoos. (The 17th century discovery that the pre-Roman, pre-Anglo-Saxon languages of Britain and Ireland were related to those of ancient continental Celts led to this appelation eventually being applied to these languages, and to the peoples themselves, although they would not have identified themselves as Celts.) If this is true, there is an interesting parallel with the name Pict, connected with a Latin word of the same meaning. The modern Welsh name for Britain is Prydain.

Related Topics:
Welsh - Prydain

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It has also been postulated that Britain may derive from the Celtic goddess Brigid.

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In 325 BC the Greek explorer Pytheas of Massalia visited a group of islands which he called Pretaniké, the principal ones being Albionon (Albion) and Ierne (Erin). The records of this visit date from much more recent times, so there is room for these details to be disputed, but it does seem to attest pre-Roman use of the name by Celtic-speaking inhabitants of the islands.

Related Topics:
325 BC - Greek - Pytheas of Massalia - Albion - Erin

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The Roman geographer Ptolemy called the larger island Megale Brettania (Great Britain), and the smaller island Micra Bretannia (Little Britain). Hence, originally, the term Great Britain referred to the largest island in the British Isles, just as the largest of the Canary Islands is still called Gran Canaria, and the largest of the Comoros is Grande Comore.

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