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Is there an adjective meaning “from or pertaining to the British Isles” (or if you prefer “from Great Britain, Ireland or surrounding islands”, or “from the Atlantic Archipelago”, or whatever floats your boat)? I'm obviously not looking for British, but for a term that could be acceptable to an Irish person. I'm primarily looking for an adjective applicable to concepts relating to this geographical region, but if there's a demonym, that would be interesting too.

In other words, if Webster's is English beer, Tennent's is Scottish beer, both are British beer, and Guinness is Irish beer, what adjective can apply to all three?

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    If there was a suitable term that didn't upset the Irish, I don't suppose there'd be a Wikipedia page on the British Isles naming dispute. But apart from the Irish themselves, no-one (including the English) really distinguishes much between, say, British and English, or worries about whether The British Isles includes Ireland or not.
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Jun 29, 2013 at 22:54
  • @FumbleFingers What are The British Isles? Surely you meant the British Isles.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Jun 29, 2013 at 23:23
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    @tchrist: Nah. Lots of isles and islands are "British ordinaire" (the Falklands, for example). But Ireland is privileged to be part of The British ones! :)
    – FumbleFingers
    Commented Jun 29, 2013 at 23:55
  • What's the adjective for Germany and Poland.
    – user50210
    Commented Aug 13, 2018 at 10:59
  • @KeithLoughnane There is none, but that's unsurprising given that “Germany and Poland” is an arbitrary union of two geographical areas that do not form a geologically or politically relevant set, unlike the British Isles.
    – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
    Commented Aug 13, 2018 at 11:33

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The name of the British and Irish Lions suggests that, in practice, the term you seek is "British and Irish".

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  • You know, I almost find the idea of there being ‘Britirish Islanders’ perversely appealing. :)
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Jun 30, 2013 at 1:19

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