British English and American English: Spelling Differences


British English and American English: Spelling Differences

British and American variants of spelling are used internationally in various fields. However, language learners should stick to the spelling variant that corresponds to the variant of English that they are studying. Be consistent in your choice: if you write "centre" in one sentence and "center" in another, it might be regarded as a mistake, especially in examination papers. The chart below gives examples of spelling differences between BrE and AmE. Some derivative words are also given in the chart; some of them are the same in British and American English, others are not. Note that British spelling variants often exist as secondary spelling variants in American English. You can check British and American spelling in online dictionaries, for example, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Merriam-Webster Online.



British English
American English
aero
air, aero
aeroplane, aerodrome, airport
airplane, airdrome, airport
aeronaut, aerospace, aerosol, aerial
aeronaut, aerospace, aerosol, aerial
ae
e, ae
anaemia
anemia
anaesthetic
anesthetic, anaesthetic
aesthete, aesthetics
aesthete, aesthetics; esthete, esthetics
archaeology, archaeologist
archaeology, archaeologist; archeology, archeologist
encyclopaedia, encyclopedia
encyclopedia
gynaecology, gynaecologist
gynecology, gynecologist
haemoglobin, hemoglobin
hemoglobin
haemophilia, hemophilia
hemophilia
haemorrhage, hemorrhage
hemorrhage
leukaemia
leukemia
medieval, mediaeval
medieval
orthopaedic, orthopedic
orthopedic
paediatrician, pediatrician
pediatrician
Aesop, Caesar
Aesop, Caesar
oe
e
diarrhoea, diarrhea
diarrhea
foetus, fetus, foetal, fetal
fetus, fetal
homeopathy, homoeopathy
homeopathy
oesophagus, esophagus
esophagus
oestrogen, estrogen
estrogen
Oedipus, phoenix
Oedipus, phoenix
ction, xion
ction
connection, connexion
connection
inflection, inflexion
inflection
reflection, reflexion
reflection
complexion; crucifixion
complexion; crucifixion
gue
gue, g
analogue
analogue, analog
catalogue
catalogue, catalog
demagogue
demagogue, demagog
dialogue
dialogue, dialog
monologue
monologue, monolog
pedagogue
pedagogue, pedagog
prologue
prologue, prolog
ize, ise
ize
apologize, apologise
apologize
characterize, characterise
characterize
memorize, memorise
memorize
normalize, normalise, normalization, normalisation
normalize, normalization
organize, organise, organization, organisation
organize, organization
realize, realise, realization, realisation
realize, realization
recognize, recognise
recognize
specialize, specialise
specialize
symbolize, symbolise
symbolize
terrorize, terrorise
terrorize
vaporize, vaporise
vaporize
yse
yze
analyse, analysed, analysing; analysis, analyst
analyze, analyzed, analyzing; analysis, analyst
paralyse, paralysed, paralysing; paralysis
paralyze, paralyzed, paralyzing; paralysis
l, ll
l
cancel, cancelled, cancelling, canceller, cancellation
cancel, canceled, canceling, canceler, cancellation
counsel, counselled, counselling, counsellor
counsel, counseled, counseling, counselor
dial, dialled, dialling, dialler
dial, dialed, dialing, dialer
equal, equalled, equalling; equality
equal, equaled, equaling; equality
fuel, fuelled, fuelling
fuel, fueled, fueling
initial, initialled, inialling
initial, initialed, inialing
jewel, jeweller, jewellery; jewelled
jewel, jeweler, jewelry; jeweled
label, labelled, labelling, labeller
label, labeled, labeling, labeler
level, levelled, levelling
level, leveled, leveling
libel, libelled, libelling, libellant, libellee, libeller, libellous
libel, libeled, libeling, libelant, libelee, libeler, libelous
marvel, marvelled, marvellous, marvellously
marvel, marveled, marvelous, marvelously
parallel, paralleled, paralleling, unparalleled, parallelogram
parallel, paralleled, paralleling, unparalleled, parallelogram
quarrel, quarrelled, quarrelling, quarreller
quarrel, quarreled, quarreling, quarreler
scandal, scandalous
scandal, scandalous
signal, signalled, signalling, signaller
signal, signaled, signaling, signaler
travel, travelled, travelling, traveller
travel, traveled, traveling, traveler
wool, woollen, woolly
wool, woolen, woolly, wooly
l, ll
ll
distil, distilled, distilling, distillation, distillery
distill, distilled, distilling, distillation, distillery
enrol, enrolled, enrolling, enroller, enrolment
enroll, enrolled, enrolling, enroller, enrollment
fulfil, fulfilled, fulfilling, fulfilment
fulfill, fulfilled, fulfilling, fulfillment
install, instal, installed, installation, installer, instalment
install, installed, installation, installer, installment
instil, instilled, instillation, instillator
instill, instilled, instillation, instillator
skill, skilful, skilfully, skilled
skill, skillful, skillfully, skilled
will, wilful, wilfully
will, willful, willfully
mme
m, mme
gramme, gram, kilogramme, kilogram
gram, kilogram
to programme, programmed, programming; programmer; a programme
to program, programmed, programed, programming, programing; programmer; a program
our
or
armour, armoury, armoured
armor, armory, armored
behaviour, behavioural
behavior, behavioral
clamour, clamorous
clamor, clamorous
colour, coloured, colourful
color, colored, colorful
favour, favourite, favourable
favor, favorite, favorable
flavour, flavouring
flavor, flavoring
glamour, glamorous, glamourous
glamour, glamor, glamorous, glamourous
honour, honoured, honourable, honorary
honor, honored, honorable, honorary
humour, good-humoured, humourless, humorous, humorist
humor, good-humored, humorless, humorous, humorist
labour, laboured, labouring, labourer, laborious
labor, labored, laboring, laborer, laborious
neighbour, neighbourhood
neighbor, neighborhood
odour, odourless, deodorant
odor, odorless, deodorant
parlour
parlor
rumour
rumor
saviour
savior
savour, savoury
savor, savory
splendour
splendor
tumour
tumor
valour, valorous
valor, valorous
vapour, vaporous, vapourous
vapor, vaporous
vigour, vigorous
vigor, vigorous
re
er
cadastre
cadastre, cadaster
calibre
caliber
centre, centres, central
center, centers, central
to centre, centred, centring
to center, centered, centering
centrepiece
centerpiece
fibre, fibrous
fiber, fibrous
litre
liter
lustre, lustrous, illustrious
luster, lustrous, illustrious
macabre
macabre, macaber
manoeuvre, manoeuvres, manoeuvrability
maneuver, maneuvers, maneuverability
to manoeuvre, manoeuvres, manoeuvred, manoeuvring
to maneuver, maneuvers, maneuvered, maneuvering
meagre
meager
metre, metric, centimetre, kilometre
meter, metric, centimeter, kilometer
meter
meter
sceptre
scepter
sombre
somber
theatre, theatrical
theater, theatrical
se, ce
se, ce
defence
defense
to license, a licence
to license, a license
offence
offense
pretence
pretense
to practise, practised, practising, practiser; practice (noun)
to practice, practiced, practicing, practicer; practice (noun)
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
aluminium
aluminum
cheque
check
cigarette
cigarette, cigaret
cosy
cozy
disc, disk
disk, disc
draught
draft
grey
gray
kerb, kerbstone
curb, curbstone
maths
math
matt
matte
mould; mouldy
mold; moldy
per cent
percent
plough
plow
pyjamas
pajamas
sceptic, sceptical, scepticism
skeptic, skeptical, skepticism
smoulder
smolder
speciality
specialty
storey, storeys; two-storey, two-storeyed
story, stories; two-story, two-storied
tyre
tire
yoghurt, yogurt, yoghourt
yogurt, yoghurt, yoghourt

Note: Regular and irregular verbs
These verbs can be regular or irregular in BrE and AmE: burn, dream, kneel, lean, leap, learn, misspell, smell, spell, spill, spoil. Usually, they are regular in American English, i.e., they form the Simple Past and the Past Participle by adding the ending ED.

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