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 analyse breathalyse paralyse US 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 doubled: 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 an e 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. archeology) is usually acceptable as well.

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 the US norm, but catalogue is not uncommon; dialogue is still preferred over dialog.

British and American terms

There are 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 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)

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 apartment building 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

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 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

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 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 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 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

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 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

motorway mum/mummy nappy needlecord newsreader noughts and crosses number plate off-licence opencast mining ordinary share oven glove paddling 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

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 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

roundabout (at a fair) roundabout (in road) rowing boat sailing boat saloon (car) sandpit 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

carousel traffic circle rowboat sailboat sedan sandbox 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