Brittania

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female figure personifying Britain, often shown with a helmet and trident ; a silvery alloy of tin, antimony and copper used for tableware and ornaments
2. The allegorical woman representing the British nation on coins and in art ; a pale tin-based metal alloy similar to pewter, used for teapots and cutlery
3. An emblem of the British state depicted as a helmeted woman ; a soft, lustrous metal made mainly from tin that resembles pewter

Etymology: The spelling "brittania" is usually a misspelling of Britannia, the female figure who came to personify Britain. She first appeared on Roman coins under the emperor Hadrian, around 119 AD, seated with a spear and shield. Her name is the Latin for the islands, which in turn came from a Greek form, "Pretanike," used by writers for the islands off north-western Europe. That Greek form probably reflects the name of a Celtic-speaking people, perhaps related to "Pritani" or "Priteni." The meaning of that name is uncertain, so any explanation of it should be treated with caution. The figure returned to English money in 1672, when a copper halfpenny under Charles II showed her seated on a rock. A 1740 patriotic song, "Rule, Britannia!," gave her a further national role.