Little Englanders
Preserved but no longer current.
An opprobrious name which became popular about the time of the last Boer War for those who upheld the doctrine that the English should concern themselves with England only, and were opposed to any extension of the Empire.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Little Englanders” mean?
An opprobrious name which became popular about the time of the last Boer War for those who upheld the doctrine that the English should concern themselves with England only, and were opposed to any extension of the Empire.
Is “Little Englanders” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.