<P> The word `` Great '' means `` larger '' , in comparison with Brittany in modern - day France . One historical term for the peninsula in France that largely corresponds to the modern French province is Lesser or Little Britain . That region was settled by many British immigrants during the period of Anglo - Saxon migration into Britain , and named `` Little Britain '' by them . The French term `` Bretagne '' now refers to the French `` Little Britain '' , not to the British `` Great Britain '' , which in French is called Grande - Bretagne . In classical times , the Graeco - Roman geographer Ptolemy in his Almagest also called the larger island megale Brettania ( great Britain ) . At that time , it was in contrast to the smaller island of Ireland , which he called mikra Brettania ( little Britain ) . In his later work Geography , Ptolemy refers to Great Britain as Albion and to Ireland as Iwernia . These `` new '' names were likely to have been the native names for the islands at the time . The earlier names , in contrast , were likely to have been coined before direct contact with local peoples was made . </P>
<P> The word `` Great '' means `` larger '' , in comparison with Brittany in modern - day France . One historical term for the peninsula in France that largely corresponds to the modern French province is Lesser or Little Britain . That region was settled by many British immigrants during the period of Anglo - Saxon migration into Britain , and named `` Little Britain '' by them . The French term `` Bretagne '' now refers to the French `` Little Britain '' , not to the British `` Great Britain '' , which in French is called Grande - Bretagne . In classical times , the Graeco - Roman geographer Ptolemy in his Almagest also called the larger island megale Brettania ( great Britain ) . At that time , it was in contrast to the smaller island of Ireland , which he called mikra Brettania ( little Britain ) . In his later work Geography , Ptolemy refers to Great Britain as Albion and to Ireland as Iwernia . These `` new '' names were likely to have been the native names for the islands at the time . The earlier names , in contrast , were likely to have been coined before direct contact with local peoples was made . </P>
how do you say great britain in french
how do you say great britain in french
Grande - Bretagne
Grande - Bretagne