Textual Credit: Internet
PDF & Excel document: Shri Subrata Kumar Dutta
Vocabulary of words: American vs British
Here we will learn the differences in vocabulary of american english words and british english words. Lets learn about it.
The main difference is that British English keeps the spelling of words it has absorbed from other languages, mainly French and German. Whilst American English spellings are based mostly on how the word sounds when it is spoken.
Follow the below PDF & Excel document
Vocabulary
| American Word | British Word |
|---|---|
| 18 wheeler | juggernaut |
| acknowledgment | acknowledgement |
| admitted into the hospital | admitted into hospital |
| aging | ageing |
| allowance | pocket money |
| aluminum | aluminium |
| aluminum foil | aluminium foil |
| amphitheater | amphitheatre |
| analog | analogue |
| anemia | anaemia |
| apartment | flat |
| apartment building | block of flats |
| appetizer | appetiser |
| appetizer | starter |
| armor | armour |
| armory | armoury |
| as if/like | as if |
| attorney | barrister |
| authorize | authorise |
| ax | axe |
| bar | pub |
| bathe | bath |
| bathroom | toilet |
| beet | beet root |
| behavior | behaviou |
| beltway/freeway/highway loop | ring road |
| Big Dipper | The Plough |
| bill/check | bill(restaurant) |
| billfold | wallet |
| biscuit | scone |
| cab | taxi |
| caliber | calibre |
| can | tin |
| canceled | cancelled |
| candor | candour |
| candy | sweets |
| candy | sweets |
| candy bar | chocolate bar |
| canned food | tinned food |
| canola oil | rapeseed oil |
| cart | trolly |
| catalog | catalogue |
| center | centre |
| centimeter | centimetre |
| cesarean | caesarean |
| check | cheque |
| check | cheque |
| checker | chequer(game) |
| chili | chili con carne |
| cilantro | coriander |
| clamor | clamour |
| closet(for clothes) | cupboard |
| clothes pin | clothes peg |
| coffin/casket | coffin |
| collect call | reverse charge |
| color | colour |
| convertible top | hood(car) |
| cookies | biscuits |
| corn | maize |
| corn | sweetcorn |
| corn starch | corn flour |
| cotton candy | candy floss |
| counselor | counsellor |
| counter-clockwise | anti-clockwise |
| cozy | cosy |
| crackers | wafer biscuits |
| crazy/insane | mad |
| cream puff | profiterole |
| crock pot | slow cooker |
| cup cake | fairy cake |
| cupboard(kitchen) | cupboard |
| curb | kerb |
| demeanor | demeanour |
| dessert | pudding |
| detour | diversion |
| dialog | dialogue |
| diaper | nappy |
| diarrhea | diarrhoea |
| different from....than.... | different to.....than... |
| dish towel | tea towel |
| divided highway | dual carriageway |
| does have | has |
| draft plow | draught plough |
| drawers | pants |
| dresser/bureau | chest of drawers |
| drugstore/pharmacy | chemist's shop |
| drunk driving | drink driving |
| egg plant | Aubergine |
| elevator | lift |
| endeavor | endeavour |
| enroll | enrol |
| entrée | main course |
| epilog | epilogue |
| equaled | equalled |
| eraser | rubber |
| estrogen | oestrogen |
| fall | autumn |
| family is | family are/is |
| faucet | tap |
| favorite | favourite |
| favorite | favourite |
| fender | wing |
| fetus | foetus |
| fiber | fibre |
| first floor | ground floor |
| fish sticks | fish fingers |
| flashlight | torch |
| flavor | flavour |
| flick/movies/movie theatre | cinema(film) |
| freeway/expressway/highway | motorway |
| French fries/fries | chips |
| fries | chips |
| frosting | icing |
| fruit preserves/jam | jam |
| fueled | fuelled |
| fueling | fuelling |
| furor | furore |
| garbage can/trash can | dustbin(rubbish bin) |
| garbage collector | dustman |
| gas/gasoline | petrol |
| gearshift | gear lever |
| girl scout | girl guide |
| glamor | glamour |
| got/has gotten | has got |
| Govt is | Govt are/is |
| Graham crackers | Digestives |
| gray | grey |
| gray | grey |
| grits | semolina |
| ground meat | minced meat |
| groveling | grovelling |
| gynecology | gynaecology |
| Gyro | Kebab |
| Ham | Gammon |
| harbor | harbour |
| hat | bonnet(clothing) |
| heat | heating |
| hemorrhage | haemorrhage |
| highway | main road |
| honor | honour |
| hood | bonnet(car) |
| hot sauce | chili sauce |
| humor | humour |
| in a meeting | at a meeting |
| insure/ensure | ensure |
| intersections | crossroads |
| jell o | jelly |
| jelly roll | swiss roll |
| jeweler | jeweller |
| jewelry | jewellry |
| judgment | judgement |
| karat | carat(gold) |
| kilometer | kilometre |
| labeled | labelled |
| labor | labour |
| lawyer/attorney | solicitor |
| leukemia | leukaemia |
| leveled | levelled |
| liability insurance | 3rd party insurance |
| libeled | libelled |
| license | licence |
| licorice | liquorice |
| line | queue |
| liquor | spirit |
| liter | litre |
| louver | louvre |
| luster | lustre |
| Mac & cheese | Macaroni cheese |
| post | |
| mailbox | post box |
| mailman/mail carrier/letter carrier | postman |
| main street | high street |
| maneuver | manoeuvre |
| manouver | manoeuvre |
| marvelous | marvellous |
| math | maths |
| meager | meagre |
| mementos | mementoes |
| meter | metre |
| modeling | modelling |
| molasses | treacle |
| mold | mould |
| molt | moult |
| mom | mum |
| monolog | monologue |
| motor | engine |
| motor cycle | motor bike |
| movies | film |
| movies | cinema |
| muffler | silencer(car) |
| mustache | moustache |
| napkin | serviette |
| naught | nought |
| neighbor | neighbour |
| none of the sisters are | none of the sisters is/are |
| none of those buses go | none of those buses goes |
| none of us/these are | none of us/these is |
| oatmeal | porridge |
| odor | odour |
| one-way (ticket) | single(ticket) |
| original salted | ready salted |
| oven | cooker |
| overpass | flyover |
| pacifier | dummy (for baby) |
| pajamas | pyjamas |
| pale ale | bitter |
| paleontology | palaeontology |
| paneled | panelled |
| pants | trousers |
| parking lot | car park |
| pavement/blacktop | road surface |
| pediatric | paediatric |
| pet peeve | pet hate |
| pitcher | jug |
| pop/soda/coke | fizzy drink |
| popsicle | ice lolly |
| pot | sauce pan |
| pot pie | pie |
| potato chips | crisps |
| potato chips | crisps |
| preserver | jam |
| program | programme |
| prolog | prologue |
| purse/shoulder bag | handbag |
| quarreling | quarrelling |
| railroad | railway |
| rancor | rancour |
| real estate agent | estate agent |
| rent | hire |
| rest room/public bathroom | public toilet |
| reveled | revelled |
| rigor | rigour |
| Romaine lettuce | cos lettuce |
| round trip | return ticket |
| rubber boots/rain boots | Wellington boots |
| rumor | rumour |
| saber | sabre |
| salt & pepper shaker | salt & pepper pot |
| Saran Wrap | Cling Film |
| savior | saviour |
| savor | savour |
| savory | savoury |
| scallion | spring onion |
| scepter | sceptre |
| schedule | time table |
| sedan | saloon(car) |
| shrimp | prawn |
| sick/ill | ill |
| sidewalk | pavement |
| silverware | cutlery |
| skeptic | sceptic |
| skim milk | skimmed milk |
| smolder | smoulder |
| somber | sombre |
| spaghetti | spaghetti bolognese |
| specter | spectre |
| splendor | splendour |
| station wagon | estate car |
| store | shop |
| subway | underground(train) or tube(train) |
| sulfate/sulfide/surfur | sulphate/sulphite/sulphur |
| team is | team are/is |
| television | telly(informal) |
| theater | theatre(live performance) |
| thumbstack | drawing pin |
| tic tack toe | naughts and crosses |
| tire jibe | tyre gybe |
| toll road/turnpike | toll motorway |
| traffic circle | roundabout |
| trailer | caravan |
| trailer truck | articulated lorry |
| transmission | gear box (car) |
| trash/garbage | rubbish |
| travelog | travelogue |
| truck | lorry |
| trunk | boot |
| TV | telly |
| undershirt | vest |
| vacation | holiday |
| valor | valour |
| vapor | vapour |
| vest | waistcoat |
| vial | phial |
| vigor | vigour |
| water bottle | flask |
| whiskey | whisky |
| windshield | windscreen |
| woolen | woollen |
| wrench | spanner |
| yard | garden |
| zip | zipper |
| zip code | post code |
| zucchini | courgette |
