British and American spelling

There are several areas in which British and American spelling are different. These are the main ones to be aware of.

Words ending in re
British English words that end in -re often end in -er in American English: British centre fibre litre theatre US center fiber liter theater or theatre

Words ending in -our

British English words ending in -our usually end in -or in American English: British colour flavour humour labour neighbour US color flavor humor labor neighbor

Words ending in -ize or -ise

Verbs in British English that can be spelled with either -ize or -ise at the end are always spelled with -ize at the end in American English: British apologize or apologise organize or organise recognize or recognise US apologize organize recognize

Words ending in -yse

Verbs in British English that end in -yse are always spelled -yze in American English: British US

analyse breathalyse paralyse

analyze breathalyze paralyze

Words ending in a vowel plus l

In British spelling, verbs ending in a vowel plus l double the l when adding endings that begin with a vowel. In American English, the l is not d British travel travelled travelling traveller fuel fuelled fuelling US travel traveled traveling traveler fuel fueled fueling

Words spelled with double vowels

British English words that are spelled with the double vowels ae or oe are just spelled with ane in American English: British leukaemia manoeuvre oestrogen paediatric US leukemia maneuver estrogen pediatric

Note that in American English, certain terms, such as archaeology, keep the ae spelling as standard, although the spelling with just the e (i.e. ar

Nouns ending with ence

Some nouns that end with -ence in British English are spelled -ense in American English: British defence licence offence pretence US defense license offense pretense

Nouns ending with ogue

Some nouns that end with -ogue in British English end with either -og or -ogue in American English: British analogue catalogue dialogue US analog or analogue catalog or catalogue dialog or dialogue

The distinctions here are not hard and fast. The spelling analogue is acceptable but not very common in American English; catalog has become uncommon; dialogue is still preferred over dialog.

Aside from spelling differences, many items and practices have different names in British and American English. To explore further, see British

British and American terms

British and American English often spell the same word differently, for example:labour/labor, enthrall/enthral, or centre/center. You can find out more about these differences here. There are also many cases in which the two varieties of English use different terms to describe the same thing. Heres a list of various British words and expressions together with their American equivalents.

British English
accommodation action replay aerofoil aeroplane agony aunt Allen key aluminium aniseed anticlockwise articulated lorry asymmetric bars aubergine baking tray bank holiday beetroot bill biscuit black economy blanket bath blind block of flats

American English
accommodations instant replay airfoil airplane advice columnist Allen wrench aluminum anise counterclockwise tractor-trailer uneven bars eggplant cookie sheet legal holiday beet(s) check cookie; cracker underground economy sponge bath (window) shade condominium

boiler suit bonnet (of a car) boob tube boot (of a car) bottom drawer bowls braces brawn (the food) breakdown van breeze block bridging loan bumbag candyfloss car park casualty catapult central reservation chemist chips cinema cling film common seal consumer durables cornflour cos (lettuce) cot cot death cotton bud cotton wool council estate courgette court card crash barrier crisps crocodile clip cross-ply crotchet (music) current account danger money demister (in a car) dialling tone diamante double cream draughts (game) drawing pin dressing gown drink-driving drinks cupboard drinks party

coveralls hood tube top trunk hope chest lawn bowling suspenders headcheese tow truck cinder block bridge loan fanny pack cotton candy parking lot emergency room slingshot median strip drugstore French fries movie theater; the movies plastic wrap harbor seal durable goods cornstarch Romaine crib crib death cotton swab absorbent cotton (housing) project zucchini face card guardrail chips; potato chips alligator clip bias-ply quarter note checking account hazard pay defroster dial tone rhinestone heavy cream checkers thumbtack robe; bathrobe drunk driving liquor cabinet cocktail party

driving licence dual carriageway dummy (for a baby) dust sheet dustbin earth (electrical) engaged (of a phone) estate agent estate car ex-directory faith school financial year fire brigade/service first floor fish finger fitted carpet flannel flat flexitime flick knife flyover football footway fringe (hair) full board (in hotels) full stop (punctuation) garden gearing (finance) gear lever goods train greaseproof paper green fingers grill (noun) grill (verb) ground floor groundsman hairslide hatstand hen night hire purchase hoarding hob holdall holiday holidaymaker homely hosepipe in hospital hot flush

drivers license divided highway pacifier drop cloth garbage can ground busy real estate agent, realtor (trademark) station wagon unlisted parochial school fiscal year fire company/department second floor fish stick wall-to-wall carpeting washcloth apartment flextime switchblade overpass soccer sidewalk bangs American plan period yard; lawn leverage gearshift freight train wax paper/waxed paper green thumb broiler broil first floor groundskeeper barrette hatrack bachelorette party installment plan billboard stovetop carryall vacation vacationer homey (garden) hose in the hospital hot flash

housing estate hundreds and thousands ice lolly icing sugar indicator (on a car) inside leg jelly babies Joe Bloggs Joe Public jumble sale jump lead jumper junior school kennel ladybird a lettuce level crossing lift lolly lollipop lady (or man) loo (toilet) loose cover lorry loudhailer low loader lucky dip luggage van maize mangetout market garden marshalling yard maths metalled road milometer minim (music) mobile phone monkey tricks motorway mum/mummy nappy needlecord newsreader noughts and crosses number plate off-licence opencast mining ordinary share oven glove paddling pool

housing development sprinkles (for ice cream) Popsicle (trademark) confectioners sugar turn signal inseam jelly beans Joe Blow John Q. Public rummage sale jumper cable sweater elementary school doghouse ladybug a head of lettuce grade crossing elevator Popsicle (trademark) crossing guard john slipcover truck bullhorn flatbed truck grab bag baggage car corn snow pea truck farm railroad yard math paved road odometer half note cell phone monkeyshines expressway; highway mom/mommy diaper pinwale newscaster tic-tac-toe license plate liquor store; package store open-pit mining common stock oven mitt wading pool

paracetamol parting (in hair) patience pavement pay packet pedestrian crossing peg pelmet petrol physiotherapy pinafore dress plain chocolate plain flour polo neck positive discrimination postal vote postbox postcode potato crisp power point pram press stud press-up private soldier public school public transport punchbag pushchair pylon quantity surveyor quaver (music) queue racing car railway real tennis recorded delivery registration plate remould (tyre) reverse the charges reversing lights right-angled triangle ring road room only roundabout (at a fair) roundabout (in road) rowing boat sailing boat saloon (car) sandpit

acetaminophen part solitaire sidewalk pay envelope crosswalk clothespin valance gas; gasoline physical therapy jumper dark chocolate all-purpose flour turtleneck reverse discrimination absentee ballot mailbox zip code potato chip electrical outlet baby carriage; stroller snap pushup GI private school public transportation punching bag stroller utility pole estimator eighth note line race car railroad court tennis certified mail license plate retread call collect back-up lights right triangle beltway European plan carousel traffic circle rowboat sailboat sedan sandbox

sandwich cake sanitary towel self-raising flour semibreve (music) semitone (music) share option shopping trolley show house/home silencer (on a car) silverside skeleton in the cupboard skimmed milk skipping rope skirting board sledge sleeper sleeping partner slowcoach snakes and ladders solicitor soya/soya bean splashback spring onion stag night Stanley knife starter state school storm in a teacup surtitle swede sweet(s) takeaway (food) taxi rank tea towel terrace house tick ticket tout tights timber titbit toffee apple touch wood trade union trading estate trainers tram transport cafe trolley twelve-bore

layer cake sanitary napkin self-rising flour whole note half step stock option shopping cart model home muffler rump roast skeleton in the closet skim milk jump rope baseboard sled railroad tie silent partner slowpoke chutes and ladders lawyer soy/soybean backsplash green onion bachelor party utility knife appetizer public school tempest in a teapot supertitle rutabaga candy takeout; to go taxi stand dish towel row house check mark scalper pantyhose lumber tidbit candy apple knock on wood labor union industrial park sneakers streetcar; cable car truck stop shopping cart twelve-gauge

unalike underground vacuum flask verge (of a road) vest veterinary surgeon wagon (on a train) waistcoat walking frame wardrobe water ice weatherboard white coffee white spirit wholemeal bread windcheater windscreen wing (of a car) worktop Yale lock zebra crossing zed (letter Z) zip

unlike subway thermos bottle shoulder undershirt veterinarian car vest walker closet Italian ice clapboard coffee with cream mineral spirits wholewheat bread windbreaker windshield fender countertop cylinder lock crosswalk zee zipper

Commonly confused words

Take a look at these two sentences one of them contains a mistake: I poured over book after book. We pored over the catalogues. Are you uncertain which one is right? There are a lot of words in English that look or sound alike but have very different meanings, such as pore and pour or flaunt and flout. Its easy to get them confused and most electronic spellcheckers wont be much help in this type of situation: they can tell you if a word has been spelled wrongly but they cant generally flag up the misuse of a correctly spelled word. Heres a quick-reference list of pairs of words that regularly cause people problems. The words follow the accepted British English spelling. Some of them do have alternative American spellings and you will find these at the main dictionary entry on this website. Word 1 accept adverse advice Meaning to agree to receive or do unfavourable, harmful recommendations about what to do Word 2 except averse advise Meaning not including strongly disliking; opposed to recommend something

affect aisle all together along aloud altar amoral appraise assent aural balmy bare bated

to change or make a effect difference to a passage between rows of isle seats all in one place, all at once altogether moving or extending a long horizontally on out loud allowed a sacred table in a church alter not concerned with right immoral or wrong to assess apprise agreement, approval ascent relating to the ears or oral hearing pleasantly warm barmy naked; to uncover bear in phrase baited 'with batedbreath', i.e. in great suspense a Middle Eastern market bizarre a bunk in a ship, train, etc. birth having started life a branch of a tree a device for stopping a vehicle; to stop a vehicle to break through, or break a rule; a gap to raise a subject for discussion a type of strong cloth to criticize strongly a grass producing an edible grain; a breakfast food made from grains a group of musical notes forming a climax rough borne bow break breech brooch canvass censor serial

a result; to bring about a result an island completely; on the whole referring to something of great length permitted to change not following accepted moral standards to inform someone the action of rising or climbing up relating to the mouth; spoken foolish, crazy to carry; to put up with with bait attached or inserted

bazaar berth born bough brake breach broach canvas censure cereal

strange the emergence of a baby from the womb carried to bend the head; the front of a ship to separate into pieces; a pause the back part of a gun barrel a piece of jewellery to seek peoples votes to ban parts of a book or film; a person who does this happening in a series

chord climactic coarse complacent complement

cord climatic course

council cue curb

smug and self-satisfied complaisant to add to so as to improve; compliment an addition that improves something a group of people who counsel manage or advise a signal for action; a queue wooden rod to keep something in kerb check; a control or limit

a length of string; a cord-like body part relating to climate a direction; a school subject; part of a meal willing to please to praise or express approval; an admiring remark advice; to advise a line of people or vehicles (in British English) the stone edge of a pavement

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currant defuse desert discreet disinterested draught draw dual elicit ensure

a dried grape

current

to make a situation less diffuse tense a waterless, empty area; to dessert abandon someone careful not to attract discrete attention impartial uninterested a current of air draft an even score at the end of drawer a game having two parts duel to draw out a reply or reaction to make certain that something will happen illicit insure

happening now; a flow of water, air, or electricity to spread over a wide area the sweet course of a meal separate and distinct not interested a first version of a piece of writing a sliding storage compartment a fight or contest between two people not allowed by law or rules to provide compensation if a person dies or property is damaged a paper container for a letter to drive out an evil spirit a mythical being, part man, part goat to disregard a rule to fail an ancestor onwards, ahead a decoration along a wall a type of bear a large crowd of people to draw a conclusion to hate to be deprived of; to be unable to find a metric unit; rhythm in verse to make less severe a board for mixing colours to sell goods voting in an election a tiny opening; to study something closely to do something repeatedly to gain skill; to do something regularly to officially forbid something

envelop exercise fawn flaunt flounder forbear foreword freeze grisly hoard imply loath loose meter militate palate pedal pole pour practice

to cover or surround envelope physical activity; to do exorcise physical activity a young deer; light brown faun to display ostentatiously flout to move clumsily; to have founder difficulty doing something to refrain forebear an introduction to a book forward to turn to ice frieze gruesome, revolting grizzly a store horde to suggest indirectly infer reluctant, unwilling loathe to unfasten; to set free lose a measuring device to be a powerful factor against the roof of the mouth a foot-operated lever a long, slender piece of wood to flow or cause to flow the use of an idea or method; the work or business of a doctor, dentist, etc. to authorize use of medicine; to order authoritatively metre mitigate palette peddle poll pore practise

prescribe

proscribe

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principal sceptic sight stationary storey titillate tortuous wreath

most important; the head principle of a school a person inclined to doubt septic the ability to see site not moving stationery a level of a building story to arouse interest titivate full of twists; complex torturous a ring-shaped arrangement wreathe of flowers etc.

a fundamental rule or belief infected with bacteria a location writing materials a tale or account to make more attractive full of pain or suffering to surround or encircle

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