English means belonging or relating to England, or to its people, language, or culture. It is also often used to mean belonging or relating to Great Britain, although many people object to this.
...the English way of life.
English students are forced to learn too much too soon.
2. plural noun
The English are the people of England.
The English don't care for people like that.
3. uncountable noun
English is the language spoken in Great Britain and Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and many other countries.
Their knowledge of written English is certainly better.
She taught English in Spain.
...the English-speaking world.
English in British English1
(ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ)
noun
1.
the official language of the United Kingdom, the US, most parts of the Commonwealth, and certain other countries. It is estimated to be the native language of some 360 million people and is acquired as a second language by many more. It is an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch
See also Old English, Middle English, Modern English
2. the English
3.
(formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 14 point
4.
an old style of black-letter typeface
5. (often not capital) the usual US and Canadian term for side (sense 16)
adjective
6.
denoting, using, or relating to the English language
7.
relating to or characteristic of England or the English
verb(transitive)
8. archaic
to translate or adapt into English
▶ Related prefix: Anglo-
Derived forms
Englishness (ˈEnglishness)
noun
English in British English2
(ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ)
noun
Simon (William), known as Bill. born 1961, New Zealand politician; prime minister (2016–17)
English in American English
(ˈɪŋglɪʃ; also ˈɪŋlɪʃ)
adjective
1.
of England or its people or culture
2.
of the language of England and the U.S.
noun
3.
the West Germanic language spoken by the people of England and the U.S., and in theCommonwealth, Liberia, etc.
4.
the English language of a specific period or place
see also American English, British English, Canadian English, Old English, Middle English, Modern English
5.
a characteristic way of using this language
broken English
6.
the equivalent in the English language; English translation
7.
a school course or class in the English language or its literature
8. US; [sometimese-], Billiards, Bowling Etc
a spinning motion given to a ball, as by striking it on one side
9. Archaic
a size of printing type, 14 point
verb transitive
10.
to translate into English
11.
to apply the principles of English pronunciation, spelling, etc. to; Anglicize (a foreign word)
12. US; [sometimese-], Billiards, Bowling Etc
to give English to (a ball)
Idioms:
the English
Word origin
ME < OE Englisc, lit., of the Angles: see Angle & -ish
Word lists with
English
European peoples
In other languages
English
British English: English /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ ADJECTIVE
English means belonging or relating to England.
...the English way of life.
American English: English
Arabic: اِنْـجِلِيزيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: inglês
Chinese: 英国人的
Croatian: engleski
Czech: anglický
Danish: engelsk
Dutch: Engels
European Spanish: inglés
Finnish: englantilainen adjektiivi
French: anglais
German: englisch
Greek: αγγλικός
Italian: inglese
Japanese: イングランドの
Korean: 잉글랜드의
Norwegian: engelsk
Polish: angielski
European Portuguese: inglês
Romanian: englez
Russian: английский
Latin American Spanish: inglés
Swedish: engelsk
Thai: เกี่ยวกับชาวอังกฤษ
Turkish: İngiliz
Ukrainian: англійський
Vietnamese: thuộc nước Anh
British English: English /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ NOUN
English is the language spoken in Great Britain and Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, and many other countries.
American English: English
Arabic: اِنـْجِلِيزيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: inglês
Chinese: 英语
Croatian: engleski
Czech: angličtina
Danish: engelsk
Dutch: Engels
European Spanish: inglés
Finnish: englanti kieli
French: anglais
German: Engländer
Greek: Άγγλος
Italian: inglese
Japanese: 英語
Korean: 잉글랜드 사람
Norwegian: engelsk
Polish: Anglik
European Portuguese: inglês
Romanian: engleză
Russian: английский язык
Latin American Spanish: inglés
Swedish: engelska
Thai: ภาษาอังกฤษ
Turkish: İngiliz
Ukrainian: англійська мова
Vietnamese: tiếng Anh
Definition of 'English'
All related terms of 'English'
English elm
a species , U. procera of the genus Ulmus .
English ivy
→ ivy (sense 1 )
English oak
a species , Q . robur of the genus Quercus .
New English
the English language since about 1750
Old English
the English language from the time of the earliest settlements in the fifth century ad to about 1100. The main dialects were West Saxon (the chief literary form), Kentish , and Anglian
the English
the natives or inhabitants of England collectively
un-English
not in accordance with the typical attitudes, customs , and beliefs of the English people
basic English
a simplified form of English, proposed by C. K . Ogden and I. A. Richards , containing a vocabulary of approximately 850 of the commonest English words, intended as an international language
black English
the group of related dialects of American English spoken variously by many black people in the U.S.
body English
a follow-through motion of the body, as after bowling a ball, in a semi-involuntary or joking effort to control the ball's movement
Early English
a style of architecture used in England in the 12th and 13th centuries, characterized by lancet arches , narrow openings , and plate tracery
English bond
a bond used in brickwork that has a course of headers alternating with a course of stretchers
English daisy
a small perennial plant ( Bellis perennis ) of the composite family, having single stalked heads with white or pinkish ray flowers
English flute
a person who records, such as an official or historian
English horn
a double-reed woodwind instrument similar to the oboe but larger and a fifth lower in pitch
English self
a breed of short-haired guinea pig that is a single colour throughout
half-English
having partial English citizenship through the nationality of one parent
borough-English
(until 1925) a custom in certain English boroughs whereby the youngest son inherited land to the exclusion of his older brothers
British English
the English language as spoken and written in England and as distinguished esp. from → American English
English bulldog
→ bulldog (sense 1 )
English Channel
an arm of the Atlantic Ocean between S England and N France , linked with the North Sea by the Strait of Dover . Length : about 560 km (350 miles). Width : between 32 km (20 miles) and 161 km (100 miles)
English muffin
bread dough rolled and cut into rounds, baked on a griddle , and split and toasted just before eating
English saddle
a lightweight saddle with a low cantle and pommel and no horn , designed to place the rider's weight forward onto the withers
English setter
a breed of setter having a white coat speckled with liver , brown , or yellowish markings
English sonnet
a sonnet form developed in 16th-century England and employed by Shakespeare , having the rhyme scheme a b a b c d c d e f e f g g
English sparrow
a small Eurasian weaverbird , Passer domesticus, now established in North America and Australia . It has a brown streaked plumage with grey underparts
English speaker
a person who speaks English as a first, or second mother tongue
English system
the foot-pound-second system of measurement
English walnut
an Asiatic walnut tree ( Juglans regia ) now grown in Europe and North America
estuary English
a variety of standard British English in which the pronunciation reflects various features characteristic of London and the Southeast of England
King's English
(esp when the sovereign is male ) standard Southern British English
Middle English
the English language from about 1100 to about 1450: main dialects are Kentish , Southwestern ( West Saxon ), East Midland (which replaced West Saxon as the chief literary form and developed into Modern English), West Midland, and Northern (from which the Scots of Lowland Scotland and other modern dialects developed)
Modern English
the English language since about 1450, esp any of the standard forms developed from the S East Midland dialect of Middle English
Norman English
the dialect of English used by the Norman conquerors of England
Oxford English
that form of the received pronunciation of English supposed to be typical of Oxford University and regarded by many as affected or pretentious
pidgin English
a pidgin in which one of the languages involved is English
Queen's English
(when the sovereign is female ) standard Southern British English
reverse English
a spinning motion imparted to a cue ball in such a manner as to prevent it from moving in a certain direction
running English
the giving of English or spin to the cue ball to enable it to bounce in the direction of a certain angle
Signed English
a form of sign language based on English and using English syntax rather than the syntax of American Sign Language
American English
the form of English spoken in the US
Canadian English
the English language as spoken in Canada
English breakfast
An English breakfast is a breakfast consisting of cooked food such as bacon, eggs, sausages, and tomatoes. It also includes toast and tea or coffee.
English Canadian
a Canadian citizen , esp one of English descent , whose first language is English
English Heritage
an organization, partly funded by government aid , that looks after ancient monuments and historic buildings in England
English-speaking
speaking English as a mother tongue
Standard English
English which is characterized by idiom , vocabulary , etc, that is regarded as correct and acceptable by educated native speakers
New English Bible
a new Modern English version of the Bible and Apocrypha , published in full in 1970
Early Modern English
the English language as spoken and written from about 1500 to about 1700
English toy spaniel
any of a breed of small spaniel , usually with a thick mane , kept especially as a pet
Chinese translation of 'English'
English
(ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ)
adj
英国(國)的 (Yīngguó de)
n
(= language) 英语(語) (Yīngyǔ)
an English speaker一个(個)讲(講)英语(語)的人 (yī gè jiǎng yīngyǔ de rén)
Derived Forms
the Englishn pl (= people) 英国(國)人 (Yīngguórén)
All related terms of 'English'
English Channel
▶ the English Channel 英吉利海峡(峽) Yīngjílì Hǎixiá
an English speaker
一个(個)讲(講)英语(語)的人 yī gè jiǎng yīngyǔ de rén
in English/French
用英语(語)/法语(語) yòng yīngyǔ/fǎyǔ
I'm English/Chinese
我是英国(國)人/中国(國)人 wǒ shì Yīngguórén/Zhōngguórén
the English Channel
英吉利海峡(峽) Yīngjílì Hǎixiá
in broken English/French
用蹩脚(腳)的英语(語)/法语(語) yòng biéjiǎo de yīngyǔ/fǎyǔ
she isn't English but American
她不是英国(國)人而是美国(國)人 tā bù shì Yīngguórén ér shì Měiguórén
learning English vocabulary is a killer
学(學)习(習)英文单(單)词(詞)真是难(難)死人了 xuéxí yīngwén dāncí zhēn shì nán sǐ rén le
a native speaker of English, an English native speaker