West Britishadj.
/ˌwɛs(t) ˈbrɪtɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈˌwɛs(t) ˈbrɪdɪʃ/ 1. Of, relating to, or originating in the western part of Great Britain, esp. Wales or Cornwall; spec. (historical) of or relating to the Brittonic-speaking peoples inhabiting Great Britain, as distinguished from the Anglo-Saxons. Cf. West Briton n. 1.
ΚΠ
1793 R. Polwhele Hist. Views Devonshire ix. 171 The West-British tongue was most like the Phenician—manly, short, and expressive.
1878 W. Bright Chapters Early Eng. Church Hist. i. 23 The name of Arthur..may represent a historic West-British prince.
1904 Eng. Hist. Rev. 19 336 This he proves on internal evidence to have been a West-British copy of an older Irish Life of St. Patrick.
1922 A. L. Salmon Heart of West 18 Long before the Romans, voyagers and traders had come from south-eastern Europe and from Africa to the West-British coast.
2009 J. R. Davies in P. Stafford Compan. Early Middle Ages xxi. 341 The west British kingdom of Dumnonia had fallen under West Saxon control.
2. Of or relating to Ireland, regarded as a western territory of Britain. In later use: of or relating to British rule in Ireland; favouring a close political or cultural connection between Ireland and Great Britain. Cf. West Brit n. at west adv., adj., n.1, and prep. Compounds 2.
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1800 Times 6 Mar. 3/1 It would be unjust and illiberal to expect from the West British (i.e. Irish) Members, a total renunciation of their former customs and amusements.
1863 Irish People 5 Dec. 24/3 The West-British press chimed in.
1925 J. O'Connor Hist. Ireland 1798–1924 II. xxiv. 373 People dance the same dances as were the fashion in the old West-British days.
1981 J. Johnston Christmas Tree 114 It wasn't that I objected to De Valera's neutrality... I had no political feelings of being West British..no Crown fever.
Derivatives
ˌWest ˈBritishism n. now rare = West Britonism n. at West Briton n. Derivatives.
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1877 Freeman's Jrnl. (Dublin) 21 Dec. 6/7 Mr. Parnell said that he recognised Mr. Daly as one who had helped to put down West Britishism in Ireland.
1895 Dundalk Examiner 24 Aug. 2/6 A slogan cry which would..sound the death-knell of ascendancy and West Britishism in this country?
1930 Southern Star (County Cork, Ireland) 22 Mar. 11/7 All the songs were English, and of the type that is generally heard where West Britishism and Seoninism hold sway.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1793