The term
Britain is a linguistic descendant (
reflex) of one of the oldest known names for
Great Britain, an island off the north-western coast of
continental Europe. The terms
Briton and
British, similarly derived, refer to its inhabitants and, to varying extents, the
smaller islands in the vicinity. "British Isles" is the only ancient
name for these islands to survive in general usage. Its first written appearance was by
Pytheas of Massalia in the 4th century BC. It originates with a group of
P-Celtic speakers, resident on Great Britain, who were referred to, and perhaps referred to themselves, by the earliest known form of the term "British".