1. A very old Greek name for Great Britain.
The first reference to this name is believed to come from the 5th century B.C.
The word is thought to come from the Greek word alphos meaning whiteness, or white. This in turn may well be a reference to the White Cliffs of Dover, which are the first thing you would see when approaching Britain by sea from the Southeast. This word is most often used poetically as there is a famous phrase "Perfidious Albion" used by an eighteenth century French poet to rouse his comrades to attack the treacherous British.
2. Some football teams are called Albion. For example Brighton and Hove Albion.
Transcript:
A is for Albion. Albion is the old Greek word for England, for Britain. OK. It comes from albus (Latin), which means white. And ma... very probably, possibly this refers to the white cliffs of Dover. These are white cliffs... white, a big white face that you can see when you come to England from France. OK, near Dover there are these very tall white cliffs. They are famous in the UK. And maybe that's why the UK, Britain is called Albion, OK. Albion. There's a c... a phrase, a saying
"Perfidious Albion" OK, this means you can't trust the English, untrustworthy. This was first used I think by a French poet in the late eighteenth century. Yes, in the late eighteenth century. OK, to say that the French should attack perfidious Albion at sea and in many places. OK, the treacherous English. So, Albion. One other as well, some football teams are called mmm mmm mmm Albion. OK. West Bromich Albion, for example. Not United, not County, Albion. OK, so A is for Albion. Thanks for watching and I'll see you in another video. Bye.