British vs American Vocabulary

Here are some of the main differences in vocabulary between British and
American English. This page is intended as a guide only. Bear in mind that there
can be differences in the choice of specific terms depending on dialect and
region within both the USA and the UK.

British English American English

anti-clockwise counter-clockwise

articulated lorry trailer truck

autumn autumn, fall

barrister attorney

bill (restaurant) bill, check

biscuit cookie

block of flats apartment building

bonnet (clothing) hat

British English American English

bonnet (car) hood

boot trunk

caravan trailer

car park parking lot

chemist's shop drugstore, pharmacy

chest of drawers dresser, chest of drawers, bureau

chips fries, French fries

the cinema the movies

clothes peg clothespin

coffin coffin, casket

British English American English

crisps potato chips

crossroads intersection; crossroads (rural)

cupboard cupboard (in kitchen); closet (for clothes etc)

diversion detour

drawing-pin thumbtack

drink-driving drunk driving

driving licence driver's license

dual carriageway divided highway

dummy (for pacifier

baby)

dustbin garbage can, trash can

British English American English

dustman garbage collector

engine engine, motor

estate agent real estate agent

estate car station wagon

film film, movie

flat apartment, flat, studio

flat tyre flat tire

flyover overpass

gearbox (car) transmission

gear-lever gearshift
British English American English

Girl Guide Girl Scout

ground floor ground/first floor

handbag handbag, purse, shoulder bag

high street main street

holiday vacation

hood (car) convertible top

jam jam, preserves

jug jug, pitcher

juggernaut 18-wheeler

lift elevator
British English American English

lorry truck, semi, tractor

mad crazy, insane

main road highway

maize corn

maths math

motorbike motorcycle

motorway freeway, expressway

motorway highway, freeway, expressway, interstate highway,

interstate
nappy diaper

naughts and crosses tic-tack-toe

pants, underpants underpants, drawers

pavement sidewalk

pet hate pet peeve

petrol gas, gasoline

The Plough Big Dipper

pocket money allowance

post mail

postbox mailbox

postcode zip code

postman mailman, mail carrier, letter carrier

pub bar

public toilet rest room, public bathroom

railway railroad

return (ticket) round-trip

reverse charge collect call

ring road beltway, freeway/highway loop

road surface pavement, blacktop

roundabout traffic circle, roundabout

rubber eraser

rubbish garbage, trash

rubbish-bin garbage can, trashcan

saloon (car) sedan

shop shop, store

silencer (car) muffler

single (ticket) one-way

solicitor lawyer, attorney

spanner wrench

sweets candy

taxi taxi, taxi cab

tea towel dish towel

telly (informal), TV television, TV

third-party insurance liability insurance

timetable schedule

tin can

toll motorway toll road, turnpike

torch flashlight

trousers pants, trousers

tube (train) subway

underground (train) subway

vest undershirt

waistcoat vest

wallet wallet, billfold

wellington boots rubber boots, rain boots

whisky whisky/whiskey

windscreen windshield

zip zipper

1. First Floor – In the USA, we say the first floor to mean the ground floor of a
building. In the UK, the first floor is the second floor. Confusing? Welcome to the
troubles encountered by tourists in the UK.
2. Jumper – In the USA a jumper is someone who ends their life by jumping off
something. In the UK, a jumper is a type of sweater (usually knitted).
3. Trainer – In the USA a trainer is a professional that works with you in a gym. In
the UK trainer is the name given to Gym shoes.
4. Pants – In the USA, pants are trousers. In the UK, pants are underwear.
5. Bird – In the USA, a bird is a bird. In the UK, a bird is a name for a woman
(though it’s fallen out of fashion as it’s rather sexist) but a bird is also just a bird.
6. Bog – In the USA, a bog is a marshy area of boggy land. In the UK, a bog is
another name for a toilet. Bog roll is toiler paper.
7. Rubber – In the USA, a rubber is a condom. In the UK, a rubber is an eraser.
8. Braces – In the USA, braces are devices placed on teeth to straighten them. In
the UK, braces hold up pants (what we call suspenders).
9. Trolley – In the USA, a trolley is a public transportation conveyance (most
famous in San Francisco). In the UK, a trolly is a shopping cart.
10. Chips – In the USA, chips are potato chips (or corn chips). In the UK, chips are
what we would call fries but are a chunkier version.
11. Coach – In the USA, a coach is someone who manages a sports team. In the
UK, a coach is a bus.
12. Fanny Pack – In the USA a fanny pack is a device worn unfashionably around
the waist to store personal effects when traveling. In the UK a fanny is a term for
a woman’s lady parts. So to call something a fanny pack is a rather offensive
term. The Brits call a fanny pack a bum bag (bum is UK speak for butt).
13. Biscuit – In the USA, a biscuit is a buttery bread roll. In the UK, a biscuit is a
cookie.
14. Dummy – In the USA, a dummy is an idiot. In the UK, a dummy is a baby’s
pacifier.
15. Flannel – In the USA, a flannel is a type of button down shirt that’s very warm. In
the UK, a flannel is a washcloth.
16. Pissed – In the USA, to be pissed is to be angry. In the UK, to be pissed is to be
fall down drunk.
17. Fag – In the USA, fag is a very derogatory term for a homosexual. In the UK, a
fag is a cigarette.
18. Boot – In the USA, a boot is a form of footwear. In the UK, a boot is the trunk of
a car.
19. Bum – In the USA, a bum is a homeless person. In the UK, a bum is your butt.
20. Caravan – In the USA, a caravan is a type of minivan. In the UK, a caravan is a
type of recreational vehicle.
21. Chaps – In the USA, chaps are leather pants worn by cowboys or motorcyclists.
In the UK, chaps are your male friends.
22. Chemist – In the USA, a chemist is a scientist that works with chemicals. In the
UK, a chemist is what we would call the pharmacist.
23. Concession – In the USA a concession is a place to get snacks in a sporting
venue. In the UK, a concession is a discount on a ticket for particular group of
people (disabled, student, elderly, etc).
24. Daddy Long Legs – In the USA, a daddy long legs is a harmless spider. In the
UK, a daddy long legs is also known as the crane fly (but they do have the daddy
long legs spider and some refer it to just that).
25. Post – In the USA, a post is something in the ground holding something up. In
the UK, the post is the mail