Meaning

noun an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries

noun the people of England

noun the discipline that studies the English language and literature

originFrom Middle English Englisch, English, Inglis, from Old English Englisċ (“of the Angles; English”), from Engle (“the Angles”), a Germanic tribe + -isċ; equivalent to Engle + -ish. Doublet of Anglish. Compare West Frisian Ingelsk, Scots Inglis (older ynglis), Dutch Engels, Danish engelsk, Old French Englesche (whence French anglais), German englisch, Spanish inglés, all ultimately derived from…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0