What does Brexit mean in English?

Let us walk you through it. What is Brexit? Brexit is short for "British exit" - and is the word people use to talk about the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union (EU). What is the EU?

Is Brexit a portmanteau?

The term Brexit is a portmanteau coined as shorthand for British exit. In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, some 52 percent of those British voters who participated opted to leave the EU, setting the stage for the U.K. to become the first country ever to do so.

Is Brexit a mistake?

Since then, opinion polls tended to show a plurality of support for remaining in the EU or for the view that Brexit was a mistake, with the estimated margin increasing until a small decrease in 2019 (to 53% Remain: 47% Leave, as of October 2019 ).