English

/ˈɪŋ(g)lɪʃ/

/ˈɪŋglɪʃ/

Other forms: Englisher; Englishes; Englishly

Things pertaining to the land or culture of England are referred to as being English. This includes the people of England as well as the language spoken there, which was brought to the American colonies by the English explorers.

The English language finds its origins in the West Germanic tribes that inhabited England in the 5th Century: the Saxons, the Jutes, and the Angles, the latter of which provided the name English. Mix in Romance languages such as the Latin-based Norman French and some old Norse, and you have the smorgasbord that is our modern English. Note that the english or "spin" you put on a billiard or bowling ball seems to have evolved separately, from the French anglé, meaning "angle."

Definitions of English

1. adjective

   of or relating to or characteristic of England or its culture or people
   “English history”

   “the English landed aristocracy”

   “English literature”
2. noun

   the people of England
   synonyms: English people

   type of:

   country, land, nation

   the people who live in a nation or country
3. noun

   an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
   synonyms: English language

   types:

   American, American English, American language

   the English language as used in the United States

   cockney

   the nonstandard dialect of natives of the east end of London

   geordie

   the nonstandard dialect of natives of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

   King's English, Queen's English

   English as spoken by educated persons in southern England

   Received Pronunciation

   the approved pronunciation of British English; originally based on the King's English as spoken at public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities (and widely accepted elsewhere in Britain); until recently it was the pronunciation of English used in British broadcasting

   Middle English

   English from about 1100 to 1450

   Modern English

   English since about 1450

   Anglo-Saxon, Old English

   English prior to about 1100

   Oxford English

   the dialect of English spoken at Oxford University and regarded by many as affected and pretentious

   Scots, Scots English, Scottish

   the dialect of English used in Scotland

   AAVE, African American English, African American Vernacular English, Black English, Black English Vernacular, Black Vernacular, Black Vernacular English, Ebonics

   a nonstandard form of American English characteristically spoken by African Americans in the United States

   East Midland

   the dialect of Middle English that replaced West Saxon as the literary language and which developed into Modern English

   West Midland

   a dialect of Middle English

   Northern

   a dialect of Middle English that developed into Scottish Lallans

   Kentish

   a dialect of Middle English

   Southwestern, West Saxon

   a dialect of Middle English

   West Saxon

   a literary dialect of Old English

   Anglian

   one of the major dialects of Old English

   Jutish, Kentish

   one of the major dialects of Old English

   Lallans, Scottish Lallans

   a dialect of English spoken in the Lowlands of Scotland

   type of:

   West Germanic, West Germanic language

   a branch of the Germanic languages
4. noun

   the discipline that studies the English language and literature
   type of:

   arts, humanistic discipline, humanities, liberal arts

   studies intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills (rather than occupational or professional skills)
5. adjective

   of or relating to the English language
6. noun

   (sports) the spin given to a ball by striking it on one side or releasing it with a sharp twist
   synonyms: side

   type of:

   spin

   a swift whirling motion (usually of a missile)