english
english — noun
1. The main language spoken in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, an
The main language spoken in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and many other countries around the world, used for international communication in business, science, and travel.
Tuan is learning English so he can apply to universities in Canada.
learn + English for a purpose
The instructions on the medicine bottle were written in both English and Spanish.
written in English
Maeve speaks English at work, but at home she speaks Irish with her family.
Many international business meetings are now conducted entirely in English.
passive: conducted in English
Asher read the English translation of the French novel for his literature class.
- speak English
- learn English
- in English
- write in English
- the English language
Grammar Patterns
uncountable noun
speak/learn/understand + English
in English
the + English + language
Usage Note
Uncountable noun. Do not say 'an English' to mean the language. Say 'English' or 'the English language'.
Common Mistakes
2. The people who come from England — the largest country within the United Kingdom
The people who come from England — the largest country within the United Kingdom. Some speakers use this word more broadly to refer to all British people, although strictly speaking that usage is imprecise.
Imani read a book about how the English built the first underground railway in London.
the + English (collective plural)
The English have a long tradition of afternoon tea with sandwiches and small cakes.
Haruto noticed that the English often say 'sorry' even when they have done nothing wrong.
the + English (collective plural) as subject
In the 1800s, many English moved to Australia and New Zealand for new lives.
many + English as plural noun
The English have a reputation for being reserved, but Dahlia found them warm and welcoming.
- the English
- the English people
- the British
broader term covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- Britons
more formal or historical name for British people
- Brits
informal short form of British people
Grammar Patterns
the + English (collective plural noun)
Usage Note
Always used with 'the' as a collective plural noun — takes a plural verb. 'The English' refers specifically to people from England, not to people from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, although it is sometimes used loosely to mean British people.
Common Mistakes
3. A school or university subject that teaches reading, writing, and critical analy
A school or university subject that teaches reading, writing, and critical analysis of English literature and the English language.
Ingrid always got top marks in English because she loved reading novels.
in English (subject context)
Tuan's English teacher asked the class to write a personal essay about their summer holiday.
English teacher (compound noun)
Madison struggled with English grammar but really enjoyed the poetry unit.
The final exam for English includes a written paper and an oral presentation.
Ada decided to major in English at university because she wants to become a writer.
major in English
- study English
- English class
- English teacher
- English exam
- English literature
- major in English
Grammar Patterns
uncountable noun
study/take + English
English + (class/teacher/exam/grade)
Usage Note
Often capitalized in school contexts. In British schools, this subject is sometimes split into 'English Language' and 'English Literature' as separate qualifications.
Common Mistakes
in plain English
idiomUsing simple and clear language that everyone can understand.
The lawyer explained the contract in plain English for Maya.
Could you rewrite this instruction in plain English?
english — adjective
- englishpositive
- more englishcomparative
- most englishsuperlative
1. Written, spoken, or connected with the English language — for example, an Englis
Written, spoken, or connected with the English language — for example, an English dictionary, an English exam, or English subtitles on a film.
Maeve borrowed an English dictionary from the library to check the spelling.
English + dictionary (language-related compound)
The website offers free English lessons for beginners from around the world.
English lessons
Asher found the English subtitles helpful when watching the Korean drama.
Vivek's English pronunciation improved after he started listening to daily podcasts.
The English version of the document was twenty pages longer than the original French text.
English version
- English dictionary
- English grammar
- English text
- English version
- English subtitles
- English lessons
Grammar Patterns
English + noun (language-related)
2. Belonging to or coming from England, the largest country in the United Kingdom —
Belonging to or coming from England, the largest country in the United Kingdom — for example, English people, English traditions, or English products.
Defne bought a warm English wool sweater during her trip to London.
English wool (origin)
Anna's favourite weekend meal is a traditional English breakfast with eggs and sausages.
The English countryside is famous for its green hills and old stone villages.
Xiu visited several English castles while studying abroad for a semester in London.
English castles (geographic)
Isabela learned to make English scones from her grandmother's handwritten recipe book.
- English countryside
- English breakfast
- English people
- English history
- English tradition
Grammar Patterns
English + noun (country-related)
Usage Note
Different from 'British' — 'English' refers specifically to things or people from England, not from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Common Mistakes
english — verb
- englishpresent simple I / you / we / they
- englishes3rd person singular
- englishing-ing form
- englishedpast simple
1. To change the words of a written text from another language into English, produc
To change the words of a written text from another language into English, producing a version that speakers of English can read and understand.
The publishing house hired a translator to English the Japanese novel for an international audience.
English + direct object (transitive)
The Sanskrit love poem was Englished by Henrik after months of careful study.
passive main clause: was Englished by
A team of experts was hired to English the ancient inscriptions found near the temple.
passive infinitive: to English
It took Professor Hyun six months to English the Latin poem for the academic journal.
preparatory-it construction: It took [sb] [time] to English [text]
Commissioned by the EU, the Hungarian research documents were Englished for an international climate science conference.
fronted participial phrase + passive voice
- translate into English
the standard modern phrase; much more common than the single verb 'English'
Grammar Patterns
English + noun phrase (text/document)
passive: be Englished
Usage Note
This verb is very rare in modern everyday English. Most speakers say 'translate (something) into English' instead. The verb form 'English' is mostly found in historical or scholarly contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. To take a foreign word or expression and adapt it into the English language, oft
To take a foreign word or expression and adapt it into the English language, often changing its spelling or pronunciation to fit English patterns — for example, how the French word 'ballet' was adopted into English with a different pronunciation.
The German word 'kindergarten' was Englished with the same spelling but a very different pronunciation.
passive: was Englished
Many Italian words like 'pizza' and 'spaghetti' have been Englished over the past century.
Élise noted in her food column how 'kimchi' was Englished with few spelling changes.
passive: was Englished with [feature]
Many Hindi words like 'bungalow' and 'jungle' were Englished during the British colonial period.
It was during the Renaissance that the Italian word 'sonnet' was Englished and started appearing in English poetry.
cleft construction: it was ... that ... was Englished
- anglicize
the more common modern verb for this meaning; 'English' as a verb is very rare
Grammar Patterns
be Englished (passive)
English + foreign word/term
Usage Note
Typically used in the passive voice ('be Englished'). This verb is extremely rare — the alternative verb 'anglicize' is much more common in modern usage.
english — idiom
Bill English
idiomSimon William English (born 1961), a New Zealand politician who served as the 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2016 to 2017 and as Deputy Prime Minister from 2008 to 2016.
Bill English became Prime Minister of New Zealand in December 2016 after John Key resigned.
Word family
- EnglandnounA1
- EnglishmannounB1
- EnglishwomannounB1
- English-speakingadjectiveB1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
The English refers specifically to people from England, the largest country in the United Kingdom. The British is a broader term covering people from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Britons is a more formal or historical word for the people of Britain — you might read it in news reports or history books. Brits is an informal, friendly short form used in everyday conversation and journalism. For example: 'The English have their own national football team, separate from the Scottish team.' and 'The British people voted in a general election to choose their next government.' Use 'the English' when you mean only England; use 'the British' when you mean the whole UK.
Common collocations
Phrases
- English as a foreign language (EFL)
- English as a second language (ESL)
- the English language
- in plain English
- the Queen's English
Etymology
The word 'English' comes from the Old English word 'Englisc', which meant 'relating to the Angles' — one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Britain in the 5th century. The tribe's name 'Angle' may come from the Germanic word for 'angle' or 'hook', possibly referring to the hooked shape of the Angeln peninsula in what is now northern Germany, where the tribe originally lived.