Difference between British English and American English

Vocabulary:
American English
British 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

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

crisps potato chips

crossroads intersection; crossroads (rural)

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

diversion detour

drawing-pin thumbtack

drink-driving drunk driving

driving licence driver's license

dual carriageway divided highway

dummy (for baby) pacifier

dustbin garbage can, trash can

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

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

lorry truck, semi, tractor

mad crazy, insane

main road highway

maize corn
maths math

motorbike motorcycle

motorway freeway, expressway

motorway highway, freeway, expressway, 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
The general spelling differences between British and American English are listed below.

British -our vs. American- British -re vs. American - British -ae/-oe/-oeu vs.
or difference er American
difference -e/-o/-eu difference
armour armor
amphitheatre amphitheater archaeology archeology
behaviour behavior
centimetre centimeter gynaecology gynecology
colour color
centre center leukaemia leukemia
favourite favorite
fibre fiber manoeuvre maneuver
flavour flavor
kilometre kilometer mediaeval medieval
harbour harbor
litre liter mementoes mementos
honour honor
lustre luster oestrogen estrogen
humour humor
louvre louver orthopaedic orthopedic
labour labor
manoeuvre maneuver paediatric pediatric
neighbour neighbor
metre meter palaeontology paleontology
rumour rumor
spectre specter toxaemia toxemia
saviour savior
theatre theater

British -se vs. American - British -l vs. American - British -ogue vs.
ze difference* ll difference American
-og difference
analyse analyze enrolment enrollment
analogue analog
apologise apologize fulfil fulfill
catalogue catalog
appetiser appetizer instalment installment
dialogue dialog
catalyse catalyze skilful skillful
monologue monolog
civilise, civilize,
civilisation civilization British -ll vs. American -
l difference British –ence vs.
colonise, colonize, American
colonisation colonization counsellor counselor -ense difference
criticise criticize fuelled fueled defence* defense
emphasise emphasize travelling traveling license (both
licence(noun)
parallelled paralleled noun and
organise organize license(verb)
verb)
popularise, popularize, quarrelling quarreling offence* offense
popularisation popularization
pretence pretense
prise prize !Remember: In British
English, verbs that end in -
realise realize l preceded by a vowel usually *But note: defensive,offensive
double the final -l when a
recognise recognize suffix -ed/-ing is added. In
American English the final -
l is doubled only when the last
syllable is stressed.

*Additional notes:
: British English uses both "-ise" and "-ize" forms but tends to prefer -ise (-isation) form.

:: Verbs in British English that can be spelled with either "-ize" or "-ise" at the end are always
spelled with -ize in American English.

:: Verbs in British English that end in "-yse" (e.g. analyse) are always spelled "-yze" in American
English (analyze).

British -dge/-gue vs. British -gramme vs. American -

American -dg/-gu) gram difference
judgement judgment programme (noun)
(TV/radio programme or
arguement argument programme of events - program
plans, conferences, a
theatre programme etc.)
British -que vs. American programme (verb) (to
-k/–ck difference program (-mm-)
instruct)
banque bank program (programme)
program
cheque (money) check (computer program)
gram (gramme) gram
kilogram (kilogramme) kilogram
Miscellaneous spelling differences
British American British American
ageing Aging mould Mold
mum, mummy mom,
aluminium Aluminum
(mom, mam) mommy
encyclopaedia encyclopedia omelette omelet
kerb (edge of
practise (verb), practice (both
roadway or curb (both
practising, noun and
pavement) noun and
practice verb),
curb (verb means verb)
(noun) practicing
"restrain")
draught (current
draft pyjamas pajamas
of air)
grey gray plough plow
sulphur or sulfur sulfur tyre tire
jewellery jewelery sceptic skeptic
marvellous marvelous woollen woolen