English
of, relating to, or characteristic of England or its inhabitants, institutions, etc.
belonging or relating to, or spoken or written in, the English language: a high school English class;an English translation of a Spanish novel.
of or relating to a person or thing that is not Amish, generally used by Amish people in Anglophone North America: The Amish rarely celebrate English holidays like Labor Day.He fixed a rabbit hutch for his English neighbor.
(used with a plural verb) the people of England collectively, especially as distinguished from the Scots, Welsh, and Irish.
the Germanic language of England, widespread and standard also in the United States, Canada, and other countries colonized or settled by England, historically termed Old English (c450–c1150), Middle English (c1150–c1475), and Modern English (after c1475). Abbreviation: E
English language, composition, and literature as offered as a course of study in school.
a specific variety of the English language, as that of a particular time, place, or person: Shakespearean English;American English.
simple, straightforward language: What does all that jargon mean in English?
Sports.(sometimes lowercase)
a spinning motion imparted to a ball, especially in billiards.
Printing. a 14-point type of a size between pica and Columbian.
a grade of calendered paper having a smooth matte finish.
(used with a plural verb) people who are not Amish, generally used by Amish people in Anglophone North America: More Amish than English live in this county.
to translate into English: to English Euripides.
to adopt (a foreign word) into English; Anglicize.
(sometimes lowercase)Sports. to impart spin to (a ball).
Origin of English
1Other words from English
- Eng·lish·ness, noun
- an·ti-Eng·lish, adjective
- half-Eng·lish, adjective
- non-Eng·lish, adjective, noun
- pre-Eng·lish, adjective
- pro-Eng·lish, adjective
- pseu·do-Eng·lish, adjective
- qua·si-Eng·lish, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use English in a sentence
By contrast, the United Kingdom attempts to protect the various non-English tongues spoken within her borders.
France’s Pointless, Hopeless Battle Against English | Andrew Roberts | May 30, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTHe fired most of the old non-English-speaking university professors and thousands of corrupt policeman and politicians.
Sunset for Misha? Georgia’s Pro-Western Mikheil Saakashvili Defeated by Pro-Russian Challenger | Anna Nemtsova | October 2, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTFor the non-English majors among you, “dirk” is the Shakespearean term for dagger.
Boehner and Cantor: The GOP's Rivals for the Top | Patricia Murphy | April 8, 2011 | THE DAILY BEASTThey operate in a parallel universe, allowed to switch nationalities but only among the non-English speaking nations.
No other American writer has been given the tribute of more than a perfunctory notice in the non-English-speaking countries.
Education: How Old The New | James J. Walsh
The most important and influential influx of non-English stock into the colonies was the copious stream of Scotch-Irish.
Our Foreigners | Samuel P. OrthThe immigrants themselves are too old for Americanization, especially when they speak a non-English language.
Races and Immigrants in America | John R. CommonsMany words are spelled inconsistently, especially Indian and other non-English words.
Indian Myth and Legend | Donald Alexander MackenzieAn Englishman would never think of the garter as unseemly, but non-English men and women have thought it such.
Folkways | William Graham Sumner
British Dictionary definitions for English
/ (ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ) /
the official language of Britain, the US, most parts of the Commonwealth, and certain other countries. It is the native language of over 280 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 Middle English, Old English, Modern English
the English (functioning as plural) the natives or inhabitants of England collectively
(formerly) a size of printer's type approximately equal to 14 point
an old style of black-letter typeface
(often not capital) the usual US and Canadian term for side (def. 16)
denoting, using, or relating to the English language
relating to or characteristic of England or the English
archaic to translate or adapt into English: Related prefix: Anglo-
Derived forms of English
- Englishness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with English
see body English; in plain English.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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