plural nouna group of islands in W Europe, consisting of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Orkney, Shetland, the Channel Islands belonging to Great Britain, and the islands adjacent to these
▶ USAGE The Irish government does not accept the term British Isles as it believes it implies political supremacy of Britain over Ireland. Many peoplein the Republic of Ireland (and in the Republican community in Northern Ireland) preferto talk of Britain and Ireland or The United Kingdom and Ireland