British versus American spelling

British versus American spelling
© compiled by prof. Pietro del Rosso
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
English
centre
fibre
litre
theatre
American
English
center
fiber
liter
theater or
theatre
Words ending in -our
British English words ending in -our usually end in -or in American English:
British
English
colour
flavour
humour
labour
neighbour
American
English
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 English
apologize or
apologise
organize or
organise
recognize or
recognise
American
English
apologize
organize
recognize
Words ending in -yse
Verbs in British English that end in -yse are always spelled -yze in American
English:
British
English
analyse
breathalyse
paralyse
America
English
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
English
travel
travelled
travelling
traveller
fuel
fuelled
fuelling
American
English
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
English
leukaemia
manoeuvre
oestrogen
paediatric
American
English
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
English
defence
licence
offence
pretence
American
English
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
English
analogue
American
English
analog or
analogue
catalogue catalog or
catalogue
dialogue 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.
Aside from spelling differences, many items and practices have different names
in British and American English, as indicated in the following table.
British English versus American English Table
British
English
American English
accommodation
aerofoil
aeroplane
Allen key
aluminium
aniseed
anticlockwise
articulated lorry
asymmetric bars
aubergine
autumn
baking tray
bank holiday
barrister
beetroot
bill
biscuit
black economy
blanket bath
accommodations
airfoil
airplane
Allen wrench
aluminum
anise
counterclockwise
tractor-trailer
uneven bars
eggplant
fall
cookie sheet
legal holiday
attorney
beet(s)
check
cookie; cracker
underground economy
sponge bath
blind
block of flats
boiler suit
bonnet (of a car)
boob tube
boot (of a car)
bowls
braces
brawn (the food)
bridging loan
bumbag
candyfloss
car park
caravan
catapult
central reservation
chemist
chips
cinema
cling film
Italian
alloggio
superficie aereodinamica
aereo
chiave a brugola
alluminio
anice
in senso antiorario
autoarticolato
parallele asimmetriche
melanzana
autunno
piastra da forno
festività legale
avvocato patrocinante
barbatietola rossa
conto
biscotto
economia sommersa
lavaggio a letto (di un
paziente)
(window) shade
avvolgibile
apartment building
condominio
coveralls
tuta da lavoro
hood
cofano
tube top
corpetto stretto senza
spalline
trunk
bagagliaio
lawn bowling
Ggoco delle bocce su prato
suspenders
bretelle
headcheese
soppressata
bridge loan
prestito compensativo
fanny pack
marsupio
cotton candy
zucchero filato
parking lot
parcheggio
trailer
roulotte
slingshot
fionda
median strip
aiuola spartitraffico
drugstore
farmacia
French fries
patatine fritte (a bastoncino)
movie theater; the movies cinema
plastic wrap
pellicola adesiva (per alimenti)
coffin
consumer durables
cornflour
cos (lettuce)
cot
cotton bud
cotton wool
council estate
courgette
court card
crash barrier
casket
durable goods
cornstarch
Romaine
crib
cotton swab
absorbent cotton
(housing) project
zucchini
face card
guardrail
crisps
crossroads
crotchet (music)
cupboard
current account
danger money
demister (in a car)
dialling tone
diamante
diversion
double cream
draughts (game)
drawing pin
dressing gown
drink-driving
driving licence
dual carriageway
dummy (for a
baby)
dust sheet
dustbin
dustman
earth (electrical)
engaged (of a
phone)
estate agent
chips; potato chips
intersection
quarter note
closet
checking account
hazard pay
defroster
dial tone
rhinestone
detour
heavy cream
checkers
thumbtack
robe; bathrobe
drunk driving
driver’s license
divided highway
pacifier
bara
beni di consumo durevoli
farina, amido di granoturco
lattuga romana
culla
batuffolo di ovatta
cotone idrofilo
quartire di case popolare
zucchina
figura (delle carte da gioco)
barriera di sicurezza,
guardrail
patatine
incrocio
semiminima
credenza
conto corrente
indennità di rischio
sbrinatore
segnale di linea
strass
deviazione
panna molta densa
gioco della dama
puntina da disegno
vestaglia, veste da camera
guida in stato di ubriachezza
patente di guida
strada a doppia carreggiata
succhiotto
drop cloth
garbage can, trash can
garbage collector
ground
busy
telo, telone
pattumiera
operatore ecologico,spazzino
terra, massa
occupato
real estate agent, realtor
(trademark)
station wagon
unlisted
parochial school
agente immobiliare
estate car
ex-directory
faith school
financial year
fiscal year
fire brigade/service fire company/department
first floor
second floor
auto familiare, station wagon
non in elenco
scuola di impostazione
religiosa
anno, esercizio finanziario
pompieri, vigili del fuoco
primo piano
fish finger
fitted carpet
flannel
flat
flexitime
flick knife
flyover
football
footway
fringe (hair)
full stop
(punctuation)
gear lever
goods train
greaseproof paper
green fingers
grill (noun)
grill (verb)
ground floor
groundsman
hairslide
handbag
hatstand
hen night
hire purchase
fish stick
wall-to-wall carpeting
washcloth
apartment
flextime
switchblade
overpass
soccer
sidewalk
bangs
period
gearshift
freight train
wax paper/waxed paper
green thumb
broiler
broil
first floor
groundskeeper
barrette
purse
hatrack
bachelorette party
installment plan
hoarding
billboard
hob
stovetop
holiday
vacation
holidaymaker
vacationer
homely
homey
hosepipe
(garden) hose
in hospital
in the hospital
hot flush
hot flash
ice lolly
Popsicle (trademark)
icing sugar
confectioners’ sugar
indicator (on a car) turn signal
inside leg
inseam
jelly babies
jelly beans
Joe Bloggs
Joe Blow
jug
pitcher
jumble sale
rummage sale
jump lead
jumper cable
jumper
sweater
junior school
elementary school
bastoncino di pesce
moquette
flanella
appartamento
orario di lavoro flessibile
coltello a serramanico
cavalcavia, sovrappasso
calcio
marciapiede
frangetta
punto fermo (segno di
interpunzione)
leva del cambio
treno merci
carta oleata
pollice verde
griglia
arrostire
pianterreno
custode di campo sportivo
fermacapelli
borsa da donna
appendiabiti a stelo
addio al nubilato
acquisto con pagamento a
rate
tabellone per affissioni
piastra, piano di cottura
vacanza
villegiante
casalingo, accogliente
tubo di gomma, flessibile
in ospedale
vampata di calore
ghiacciolo
zucchero a velo
freccia direzionale
al cavallo (misura di calzoni)
caramelle gommose
americano tipico
caraffa, brocca
vendita di beneficenza
cavo con morsetto
pullover
scuola elementare
kennel
ladybird
a lettuce
level crossing
lift
lolly
lollipop lady (or
man)
loo (toilet)
loose cover
lorry
loudhailer
lucky dip
luggage van
maize
marshalling yard
doghouse
ladybug
a head of lettuce
grade crossing
elevator
Popsicle (trademark)
crossing guard
canile
coccinella
lattuga
passaggio a livello
ascensore
ghiacciolo
persona che ferma il traffico
per far passare scolari
john
gabinetto
slipcover
fodera amovibile
truck
camion
bullhorn
megafono
grab bag
pesca (nei luna park)
baggage car
bagagliaio
corn
granturco, mais
railroad yard
scalo di smistamento,
piazzale di manovra
maths
math
matematica
metalled road
paved road
strada massicciata
milometer
odometer
contamiglia
minim (music)
half note
minima
mobile phone
cell phone
telefono cellulare
monkey tricks
monkeyshines
tiro mancino
motorbike
motorcycle
motocicletta
motorway
expressway; highway
autostrada
mum/mummy
mom/mommy
mamma
nappy
diaper
pannolino per neonati
newsreader
newscaster
annunciatore
number plate
license plate
targa
off-licence
liquor store; package store negozio di vini, birra e liquori
opencast mining
open-pit mining
estrazione di minerali a cielo
aperto
ordinary share
common stock
azioni ordinarie
oven glove
oven mitt
guanto da forno
paddling pool
wading pool
vasca per giochi infantili
pants
underpants
mutandine da uomo
parting (in hair)
part
scriminatura
patience
solitaire
gioco del solitario
pavement
sidewalk
marciapiede
pay packet
pay envelope
busta paga
pedestrian crossing crosswalk
passaggio pedonale
peg
clothespin
attaccapanni
pelmet
valance
mantovana
petrol
gas; gasoline
benzina
physiotherapy
physical therapy
fisioterapia
pinafore dress
jumper
scamiciato
plain chocolate
plain flour
polo neck
postal vote
postbox
postcode
potato crisp
power socket
pram
press-up
public school
public transport
pushchair
pylon
quaver (music)
queue
railway
real tennis
recorded delivery
dark chocolate
all-purpose flour
turtleneck
absentee ballot
mailbox
zip code
potato chip
electrical outlet
baby carriage; stroller
pushup
private school
public transportation
stroller
utility pole
eighth note
line
railroad
court tennis
certified mail
registration plate
remould (tyre)
license plate
retread
reverse-charge call
collect call
reversing light
right-angled
triangle
ring road
back-up light
right triangle
roundabout (at a
fair)
roundabout (in
road)
rowing boat
rubber
rubbish
rubbish-bin
sailing boat
saloon (car)
sandwich cake
sanitary towel
self-raising flour
semibreve (music)
semitone (music)
shopping trolley
carousel
circonvallazione, raccordo
anulare, tangenziale
giostra (luna park)
traffic circle
rotatoria
rowboat
eraser
garbage, trash
garbage can, trash can
sailboat
sedan
layer cake
sanitary napkin
self-rising flour
whole note
half step
shopping cart
barca a remi
gomma da cancellare
spazzatura
pattumiera
barca a vela
auto berlina
torta a strati
assorbente igienico
farina autolievitante
semibreve
semitono
carrello di supermercato
beltway
cioccolato fondente
farina normale
collo alto
voto per posta
cassetta della posta
codice di avviamento postale
patatine fritte
presa di corrente
carrozzina per bambini
flessione, piegamento
scuola privata
trasporto pubblico
passeggino
pilone, palo a traliccio
croma
coda, fila di persone
ferrovia
gioco della pallacorda
servizio di consegna
registrato
targa
ricostruzione, rigenerazione
a caldo di un pneumatico
telefonata a carico del
destinatario
luce o fanale di retromarcia
triangolo rettangolo
silencer (on a car)
skeleton in the
cupboard
skimmed milk
skipping rope
skirting board
sledge
sleeper
snakes and ladders
solicitor
splashback
stag night
Stanley knife
starter
state school
storm in a teacup
muffler
skeleton in the closet
marmitta
scheletro nell’armadio
skim milk
jump rope
baseboard
sled
railroad tie
chutes and ladders
lawyer
backsplash
bachelor party
utility knife
appetizer
public school
tempest in a teapot
surtitle
sweet(s)
takeaway (food)
taxi rank
tea towel
tick
ticket tout
tights
timber
tin
torch
trade union
trading estate
trainers
tram
transport cafe
trolley
twelve-bore
Underground, tube
vacuum flask
verge (of a road)
vest
veterinary surgeon
wagon (on a train)
waistcoat
walking frame
wallet
wardrobe
supertitle
candy
takeout; to go
taxi stand
dish towel
check mark
scalper
pantyhose
lumber
can
flashlight
labor union
industrial park
sneakers
streetcar; cable car
truck stop
shopping cart
twelve-gauge
subway
thermos bottle
shoulder
undershirt
veterinarian
car
vest
walker
billfold
closet
latte scremato
corda per saltare
battiscopa
slitta, slittino
traversino di binario
gioco dell’oca
avvocato, procuratore legale
paraspruzzi
festa di addio al celibato
taglierino
antipasto
scuola pubblica
tempesta in un bicchier
d’acqua
sottotitoli (teatro)
caramella
cibo da asporto
posteggio di taxi
straccio da cucina
segno di spunta
bagarino
collant, calzamaglia
legname
lattina
torcia elettrica
sindacato
zona industriale di una città
scarpe da ginnastica
tram, vettura tramviaria
autogrill
carrello da supermercato
calibro dodici
metropolitana
thermos
margine, ciglio
canottiera
veterinario
vettura, carrozza
panciotto, gilet
deambulatore
portafogli da uomo
armadio
water ice
white coffee
white spirit
wholemeal bread
windcheater
windscreen
wing (of a car)
worktop
zebra crossing
zed (letter Z)
zip
Italian ice
coffee with cream
mineral spirits
wholewheat bread
windbreaker
windshield
fender
countertop
crosswalk
zee
zipper
© prof. Pietro del Rosso
sorbetto
caffellatte
acquaragia minerale
pane integrale
giacca a vento
parabrezza
parafango
piano di lavoro
passaggio pedonale a strisce
Z
chiusura lampo