Here you will find words with different meanings or written differently that show the difference vocabulary between American and British English.
The most noticeable difference between American and British English is vocabulary.
Different Vocabulary Between American and British English
Here are hundreds of words that are different vocabulary between American and British English:
| American | British |
|---|---|
| a deck of cards | a pack of cards |
| a pack of cigarettes | a packet of cigarettes |
| airplane | plane |
| antenna, aerial | aerial (TV, radio) |
| apartment (flat: apartment with a single floor) | flat |
| baby carriage, baby buggy, stoller | pram, pushchair |
| backpack | rucksack |
| baked potato | jacket potato |
| ball-point pen | biro |
| bangs | fringe |
| to bathe | to bath |
| bathroom, restroom | toilet, loo |
| beet | beetroot |
| pepper | bell pepper |
| bill | note |
| billfold | wallet |
| buck | quid |
| bulletin board | notice board |
| cab | taxi |
| to call | to ring |
| can | tin |
| candy store | sweet shop |
| carpet pad | underlay |
| cart | trolley |
| catalog | catalogue |
| cellphone | mobile (phone) |
| center | centre |
| CEO (chief executive officer) | managing director |
| check | bill |
| checkers | draughts |
| checkroom, coatroom | cloakroom |
| clothespin | clothes peg |
| color | colour |
| comforter | duvet |
| cookie | biscuit |
| costumes | fancy dress |
| cotton ball | cotton wool |
| cotton candy | candy floss |
| cozy | cosy |
| crib | cot (Baby) |
| crossroad (in the country) | crossroads |
| intersection (town and country) | pedestrian crossing |
| crosswalk | zebra crossing |
| detour | diversion |
| diaper | nappy |
| directory assistance | directory enquiries |
| downtown, city center | town centre, city centre |
| draft | draught |
| driver's license | driving licence |
| drugstore, pharmacy | chemist's shop |
| drunk driving | drink driving |
| eggplant | aubergine |
| elementary school, grade school | primary school |
| elevator | lift |
| eraser | rubber |
| everyplace, everywhere | everywhere |
| Excuse me | Sorry |
| expiration date | expiry date |
| face cloth, wash cloth | flannel |
| faucet | tap |
| favorite | favourite |
| fender | wing |
| field hockey | hockey |
| fields day | sports day |
| to fill out | to fill in |
| film, movie | film |
| fire department | fire brigade |
| first floor, ground floor (in public buildings) | ground floor |
| fish-sticks | fish-fingers |
| flashlight | torch |
| flavor | flavour |
| freeway, highway, expressway, interstate | motorway |
| freight train | goods train |
| French fries | chips |
| from Monday through Friday | from Monday to Friday |
| front desk | reception |
| game | match |
| garbage | rubbish |
| garbage can/trash can | bin, dustbin |
| gas | petrol |
| gas pedal, accelerator | accelerator |
| gear shift | gear lever |
| grade | year |
| ground wire | earth wire |
| harbor | harbour |
| heavy cream | double cream |
| hood | bonnet |
| humor | humour |
| inquiry | enquiry |
| installment plan | hire purchase |
| inventory | stock |
| jacket, parka | anorak |
| janitor | caretaker |
| jewelery | jewellery |
| Joe Blow | |
| kerosene/kerosine | paraffin |
| kilometer | kilometre |
| ladybug | ladybird |
| lawyer, attorney | barrister, solicitor |
| license plate | number plate |
| to line up | to queue |
| liter | litre |
| lost and found | lost property |
| post | |
| mailbox | letterbox, postbox |
| mailman | postman |
| mashed potatoes | mashed potato |
| math | maths |
| Men's Room | Gents |
| mom | mum |
| mortician | undertaker |
| motorcycle | motorbike |
| national holiday, federal holiday | bank holiday |
| Native American | American Indian |
| nauseated | sick |
| neighbor | neighbour |
| one-way ticket | single ticket |
| pacifier | dummy |
| pants | trousers |
| parentheses | (round) brackets |
| parking lot | car park |
| pavement | roadway |
| period | full stop |
| phone booth | phone box |
| potato chips | crisps |
| powdered sugar | icing sugar |
| prime rate | base rate |
| principal | headmaster, headteacher |
| quotation marks | inverted commas, quotation marks |
| railroad | railway |
| raincoat | mackintosh |
| raisin | sultana |
| to rent | to hire |
| restroom, bathroom | toilet, loo |
| Résumé, curriculum vitae | curriculum vitae (CV) |
| bath) robe | dressing gown |
| sales clerk | shop assistant |
| Santa Claus | Father Christmas |
| schedule | timetable |
| second floor | first floor |
| semester | term |
| to set the table | to lay the table |
| shrimp | prawn |
| sidewalk | pavement |
| sneakers | trainers |
| soccer | football |
| social security number | national insurance number |
| stock | share |
| store | shop |
| streetcar | tram |
| subway | underground, tube |
| suspenders | braces |
| sweater | jumper |
| swimsuit | (bathing) costume |
| theater | theatre |
| thumbtack | drawing pin |
| traffic circle, rotary | roundabout |
| trailer | caravan |
| traveled | travelled |
| truck | lorry |
| trunk | boot |
| turn signal, blinker | indicator |
| turtleneck | polo neck |
| two weeks | fortnight |
| underpants | pants |
| underpass | subway |
| undershirt | vest |
| vacation | holiday |
| vacuum cleaner | hoover |
| vest | waistcoat |
| wash up | to wash |
| wrench | spanner |
| yard | garden |
| yard sale | jumble sale |
| zip code | post code |
| zipper | zip |
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References