Jump to content

User:Mclay1/Britishisms

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following is an incomplete list of the differences between words and phrases in the UK, US and Australia. If you know of something that is not listed, feel free to add it, unless the only difference is the usual use of full stops in an abbreviation (e.g. US vs U.S.). Differences between words also apply to derivatives, unless otherwise noted.

British Australian American Context
accommodation accommodation accommodations noun
accoutre accoutre accouter all
action replay instant replay all
adze adze adz all
aerofoil aerofoil airfoil all
aeroplane aeroplane airplane all
ageing ageing aging all
agony aunt advice columnist all
Allen key Allen key Allen wrench all
alternative alternative alternate
aluminium aluminium aluminum all
American football gridiron football American football
analogue analogue analog all
analyse analyse analyze all
analysing analysing analyzing all
aniseed aniseed anise all
annexe annexe annex noun
anticlockwise anticlockwise counter-clockwise; counterclockwise all
armour armour armor all
arse arse ass buttocks
artefact artefact artifact all
articulated lorry semi-trailer tractor trailer all
assurance assurance insurance
asymmetric bars uneven bars
aubergine eggplant eggplant food
Australian rules football football; Aussie rules Australian rules football Australian rules football
axe axe ax all
back-up back-up backup all
baking tray baking tray cookie sheet all
bank holiday public holiday legal holiday public holiday
beetroot beetroot beet all
behove behove behoove all
bill bill check money
biscuit biscuit; cookie or cracker cookie or cracker food, except cookie sheet
black economy underground economy
blanket bath sponge bath sponge bath
blind blind shade window covering
block of flats block of flats condomonium housing
bogeyman boogeyman boogeyman all
boiled sweets hard candy food
boiler suit coveralls clothing
bonnet bonnet hood vehicle engine covering
boob tube boob tube tube top clothing
boot boot trunk vehicle storage space covering
bottom drawer bottom drawer hope chest bottom drawer
bowls lawn bowls lawn bowling sport
braces suspenders suspenders clothing
brawn headcheese
break-down van tow truck tow truck
break-up break-up breakup all
breathalyse breathalyse breathalyze all
breathalysing breathalysing breathalyzing all
brent brant
breeze block breeze block cinder block
bridging loan bridge loan
bumbag fanny pack
calibre calibre caliber all
camomile chamomile
candyfloss fairy floss cotton candy food
carburettor carburettor carburetor all
car park parking lot
casualty the emergency room
catalogue catalogue catalog all, except catalogued/cataloged
catalogued catalogued cataloged all
cataloguing cataloguing cataloging all
catalyse catalyse catalyze all
catalysing catalysing catalyzing all
catapult catapult slingshot verb
central reservation median strip
charivari shivaree all
chemist chemist drugstore place
cheque cheque check money, except chequer/checker
chequer chequer checker money
chilli chilli chili food
chip hot chip French fry food
centre centre center all, except centred/centered
centred centred centered all
centring centring centering all
cinema movies; cinema; movie theatre movie theater; movie theatre; movies place
clean-up clean-up cleanup all
cling film cling film plastic wrap all
common seal harbor seal animal
complexion complexion complexion; complection all
connection; connexion connection connection all
consumer durables durable goods
cornflour cornflour cornstarch food
coupé coupé coupe
colour colour color all
cos cos Romaine food
cosy cosy cozy all
cotton bud cotton bud cotton swab
cotton wool cotton wool absorbent cotton
council estate housing project
courgette zucchini zucchini food
court card face card
crash barrier guardrail
crisp chip chip food
crocodile clip crocodile clip alligator clip
cross-ply bias-ply
crotchet crotchet quarter note music
cupboard or wardrobe closet all
current account checking account money
cypher cipher
danger money hazard pay
deca- deca- deka- all
defence defence defense all
demagogue demagogue demagog all
dependant dependant dependent noun, except independent
dialogue dialogue dialog all
diamante diamante rhinestone all
disc disc disk all, except "magnetic disk"; "optical disc"
distil distil distill all
double cream double cream heavy cream coffee
doughnut doughnut donut all
draught draught draft
draughts checkers checkers game
drawing pin thumbtack
dressing gown dressing gown bathrobe all
drink-driving drink-driving drunk driving crime
drinks cupboard liquor cabinet
drinks party cocktail party cocktail party
driving licence driving licence driver's license
dual carriageway multi-lane highway divided highway road
dulness dulness dullness all
dummy dummy pacifier baby's item
dust sheet drop cloth
dustbin; rubbish bin garbage bin; rubbish bin garbage bin; garbage can; trash bin; trash can bin
earth ground electricity
elk moose
encyclopedia; encyclopaedia encyclopedia; encyclopaedia encyclopedia all
engaged busy telephone
enquire; enquiring; enquiry enquire; enquiring; enquiry inquire; inquiring; inquiry all
enrol enrol enroll all
ensure ensure insure make sure
enthral; inthral enthral; inthral enthrall; inthrall all
estate agent real estate agent real estate agent; realtor occupation
estate car station wagon station wagon vehicle
ex-directory unlisted
eyrie eyrie aerie
faith school parochial school
fibre fibre fiber all
fillet fillet filet
film movie; film movie except "movie theater" / "movie theatre"
financial year financial year fiscal year
fire brigade; fire service fire service fire company; fire department
fire engine fire truck fire truck vehicle
first floor etc. first floor etc. second floor etc. buildings
fish finger fish finger fish stick food
fitted carpet wall-to-wall carpeting all
flannel face-cloth washcloth all
flat apartment; flat apartment building
flexitime flextime
flick knife switch blade switch blade
flip-flop thong flip-flop type of shoe
British American Context
flyover overpass noun
foetus etc. fetus etc. all
football soccer Association football
footpath; footway sidewalk
fringe bangs anatomy
fulfil; fulness fulfill; fullness
full board American plan
full stop period linguistics
furore furor all
gaol jail all
garden lawn or yard
gauntlet gantlet
gear lever gearshift
gearing leverage
glycerine glycerin all
goitre goiter all
goods train freight train
got gotten past participle
gramme gram all
greaseproof paper wax paper; waxed paper
green fingers a green thumb gardening
grey gray colour
grill broiler noun
grill broil verb
ground floor first floor buildings
grotty grody all
harbour harbor all
haulier hauler
homologue homolog all
hydrolyse hydrolyze all
hairslide barrette
hatstand hatrack
hen night bachelorette party
hire purchase installment plan
hoarding billboard
hob stovetop
holdall carryall
holiday; holidaymaker vacation; vacationer
homely homey all
hosepipe hose object
hot flush hot flash
housing estate housing development
hundreds and thousands sprinkles
ice lolly Popsicle food
icing sugar confectioner's sugar food
in hospital; to hospital in the hospital; to the hospital
indicator turn signal
inside leg inseam
instal install all
instil instill all
jemmy jimmy
jeweller; jewellery jeweler; jewelry all
Joe Bloggs Joe Blow
John Public John Q. Public
jumble sale rummage sale
jump lead jumper cable
jumper sweater top
junior school elementary school
kennel doghouse
kerb curb noun
kidnapped; kidnapper; kidnapping kidnaped; kidnaper; kidnaping all
British Australian American Context
labour labour labor all, except the Australian Labor Party
ladybird lady beetle ladybug all
British American Context
letter box; postbox mailbox object
lettuce head of lettuce a
level crossing grade crossing
licence license noun
lift elevator object
line-up lineup noun
liquorice licorice all
litre liter all
loft attic all
lollipop lady; lollipop man crossing guard
loose cover slipcover
lorry truck noun except fire truck; pick-up truck; tow truck
loudhailer bullhorn
low loader flatbed truck
louvre louver all
lucky dip grab bag
luggage van baggage car
lustre luster
macabre macaber
maize corn
mangetout snow pea
manoeuvre maneuver
market garden truck farm
marshalling yard railroad yard
maths math all
matt matte
meagre meager all
British Australian American Context
medieval; mediaeval medieval; mediaeval medieval all
British American Context
metalled road paved road
metre meter measurement
milometer; mileometer odometer all
minim half note music
mitre miter all
mobile phone cell phone object
mollusc mollusk all except molluscan
monkey tricks monkey shines
monologue monolog all
motorway expressway; freeway
mould mold
moult molt all
moustache mustache all
mum mom all
nappy diaper all
naïvety; naivety naïveté; naiveté all
near by nearby
needlecord pinwale all
neurone neuron all
newsreader newscaster all
nitre niter all
noughts and crosses tic-tac-toe game
number plate; registration plate license plate vehicles
ochre ocher all
off-licence liquor store; package store
offence offense all
omelette omelet all
opencast mining open-pit mining all
ordinary share common stock
oven glove oven mitt
paddling pool wading pool
paracetamol acetaminophen all
paralyse paralyze all
parting part amatory
patience solitaire game
pavement sidewalk all
pay packet pay envelope
pedagogue pedagog all
pedestrian crossing; zebra crossing crosswalk
peg clothespin noun
pelmet valance
per cent; percent percent
pernickety persnickety all
petrol gasoline all
phoney phony all
physiotherapy physical therapy all
piastre piaster all
pick-up pickup adjective; noun except vehicle
pick-up pickup truck vehicle
pinafore dress jumper dress
plain chocolate dark chocolate food
plain flour all purpose flour food
plough plow all
polo neck turtleneck clothing
positive discrimination reverse discrimination
postal vote absentee vote all
postcode zip code all
power point electrical outlet object
practise practice verb
pram; pushchair baby carriage; stroller object
press stud snap
press-up pushup noun
pretence pretense
prise prize verb
private soldier GI
programme program all except computer program
public school private school
punchbag punching bag object
pyjamas pajamas all
pylon utility pole object
quantity surveyor estimator
quaver eighth note all except semiquaver etc.
queue line
quin quint offspring
racing car race car object
rack and ruin wrack and ruin saying
railway railroad all
real tennis court tennis game
reconnoitre reconnoiter all
recorded delivery certified mail
remould retread all
reverse-charge call collect call noun
reverse the charges call collect verb
reversing lights backup lights vehicles
right-angled triangle right triangle geometry
ring road beltway
room only European plan
roundabout carousel ride
roundabout traffic circle roads
rowing boat rowboat
rubbish garbage; trash all
sabre saber all
sailing boat sailboat
saltpetre saltpeter all
saloon sedan vehicle
sandpit sandbox
sandwich cake layer cake
sanitary towel sanitary napkin
scallywag scalawag all
sceptic skeptic all
self-raising flour self-rising flour
semibreve whole note music
semiquaver etc. sixteenth note etc. music
semitone half step music
sepulchre sepulcher all
share option stock option
shop store noun
shopping trolley shopping cart object
show house; show home model home
silencer muffler vehicles
silverside rump roast
skimmed milk skim milk
skipping rope jump rope
skirting board baseboard
sledge; sledged; sledging sled; sledded; sledding
sleeper railroad tie object
sleeping partner silent partner
slowcoach slowpoke
snakes and ladders chutes and ladders
sneaked snuck all
solicitor lawyer
sombre somber all
soya soy
soya bean soybean
speciality specialty all
spectre specter all
splashback backsplash
spring onion green onion
stag night bachelor party
standardise etc. standardize etc. all
Stanley knife utility knife
starter appetizer food
state school public school
storey story buildings
storm in a teacup tempest in a teapot saying
sulphur sulfur all
surtitle supertitle all
swede rutabaga food
sweets candy food
synagogue synagog all
takeaway takeout; to go food
taxi rank taxi stand
tea towel dish towel
terrace house row house building
theatre theater all
tick check mark symbol
ticket tout scalper person
tights pantyhose clothing
timber lumber wood
timbre timber music
titbit tidbit all
titre titer all
toffee apple candy apple food
tonne metric ton all
touch wood knock on wood saying
trade union labor union
trading estate industrial park
trainers sneakers
tram streetcar; trolley car; cable car
transport transportation noun
transport cafe truck stop
travelled; traveller; travelling etc. traveled; traveler; traveling etc. all
twelve-bore twelve gauge
tyre tire noun
unalike unlike adjective
underground subway transport
vacuum flask thermos bottle
verge shoulder roads
vest undershirt clothing
veterinary surgeon veterinarian
vice vise
wagon train
waistcoat vest clothing
walking frame walker
wapiti elk
water ice Italian ice
weatherboard clapboard
white coffee coffee with cream drink
white spirit mineral spirits drink
wholemeal wholewheat food
windcheater windbreaker object
windscreen windshield vehicles
wing fender vehicles
woodcutter lumberjack person
worktop countertop
worshipped; worshipper; worshipping worshiped; worshiper; worshiping all
Yale lock cylinder lock
zed zee Z
zip zipper noun