Also Britticism. [f. BRIT-ISH (or a possible Britic) after Gallicism, Scotticism, etc.] A phrase or idiom characteristic of Great Britain, but not used in the English of the United States or other countries.
1882. N. & Q., 6th Ser. VI. 131/2. It [‘to wire‘ (meaning to telegraph)] is emphatically a Britticism.
1883. Boston (U.S.) Jrnl., 17 Sept. A well arranged handbook of Briticisms, Americanisms, Colloquial Phrases, etc.
1885. Sat. Rev., 28 Nov., 709. The American critic is within his right when he retorts at once that the use of ‘directly’ in place of ‘as soon as’ is a Britticism.
