The island containing England, Wales, and Scotland, and including the small adjacent islands. After the Old English period ‘Britain’ was used only as an historical term until about the time of Henry VIII and Edward VI, when it came into practical politics in connection with the efforts made to unite England and Scotland. In 1604 James I was proclaimed ‘King of Great Britain’, and this name was adopted for the United Kingdom at the Union of 1707, after which ‘South Britain’ and ‘North Britain’ were frequent in Acts of Parliament for England and Scotland respectively. See also united kingdom.