British vs American Words 🇬🇧🇺🇸

British vs American Words List 🇬🇧🇺🇸

ADDucation’s list of British vs American words list focuses on words and phrases which can be misunderstood. Some cause confusion, others embarrassment, and some are just funny. We’ve left out simple spelling differences and words which have obvious alternatives. Cultural exchange is alive and well. British TV shows are popular in the US and American TV series are popular in the UK. Maybe comparing British vs American words will be redundant one day? Until then let’s celebrate the differences between British vs American words.

ADDucation’s British vs American words list was compiled by Joe Connor and last updated Nov 28, 2022 @ 12:42 am.

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🇺🇸 US Word/Phrase	🇬🇧 UK Word/Phrase	Keywords	Trivia & Usage of British vs American words
Acetaminophen	Paracetamol	Health	Paracetamol can relieve pain and lower fever and the main active ingredient in many formulations sold worldwide under brand names including Tylenol, Panadol and Calpol. One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide.
airplane	aeroplane	Transport
apartment	flat	Home
Arugula	Rocket, salad leaves	Food
ass	donkey	Confusing	Potentially embarrassing British vs American words difference.
baby carriage	pram	Baby	Pram (from perambulator) is often used for any wheeled baby transport in UK 🇬🇧.
baking soda	bicarbonate of soda	Food	Or just bicarb.
band-aid, bandage	plaster, sticky plaster, bandage	Health	Americans widely use the brand name “Band-Aid” to refer to all sticking plasters. Most Brits and Commonwealth citizens use the generic term “plaster” or brand name “Elastoplast” for sticky plasters and bandages to refer to larger wound dressings.
bangs	fringe (hair)	Hair
bar	pub	Places	Abbreviation for Public House.
barette	hair slide, hair clip	Hair	Clasp to hold hair in place, there’s even auto-clasp barettes.
baseball	rounders	Sport	Both broadly similar games but rounders uses a smaller bat swung with one arm, mostly played in schools.
bathing suit, swim suit, swimming suit	swimming costume	Clothing	Swimsuits covers both. In the UK 🇬🇧 men wear swimming trunks. Fashion for women offers one-piece swimsuits, two-piece bikinis, tankinis and more variations.
bathroom, restroom	toilet	Home	🇬🇧 British (UK / 🇦🇺 Australia / 🇳🇿 NZ): In public ask “Where are the toilets?” In informal/domestic situations it’s common to ask “Where’s the loo?” Asking for the bathroom would be understood but implies you want a bath/shower rather than a toilet. In Europe 🇪🇺 WC (water closet) signs are still common and Lavatory, Gentleman and Ladies signs may still be in use. 🇺🇸 USA: In public ask “Where are the restrooms?” Asking for the toilet may be considered impolite. Most signage points to Restrooms. 🇨🇦 Canada: In public ask “Where are the washrooms?” Most signage points to Restrooms. There are dozens of other variations depending on social setting and situation; washroom, latrines (military), the facilities, the john, the gents, the ladies, the head (nautical), little boys and little girls rooms etc. We’ve left out the vulgar terms which, ironically, are the most accurate!
pubes, public hair	pubes, pubic hair, front bottom area, beaver	Rude	In the 1988 movie The Naked Gun Frank (Leslie Nielsen) says “nice beaver” to Jane (Priscilla Presley)
beer	lager	Drink	🇬🇧 UK beer (bitter/IPA style) is typically served at room temperature or cold but not chilled.
beltway	ring road	Motoring	Typically around major towns and cities.
biscuits	crackers	Food
boardwalk	promenade	Places	Typically at a seaside.
boardwalk	promenade	Places	Typically at a seaside.
bobby pin	hair grip	Hair
booger	bogey	Personal
braid	plait	Hair
broil	grill	Kitchen	Cooking method using direct heat from above.
buck	quid	Money	A buck is a dollar, a quid is a pound.
bum	tramp	Confusing	Perhaps beggar or vagrant would be less confusing? In the UK 🇬🇧 a bum is what you sit on. A beach bum is likes being on a beach. You can also bum something off someone, e.g. “can I bum a cigarette from you?”. In the US 🇺🇸 a tramp is a derogatory for an immoral woman.
buns	bread rolls, sticky buns	Rude	Buns are not butt cheeks in the UK 🇬🇧!
burner	hob	Kitchen
butt	arse	Rude	Arse is ass or butt in the US 🇺🇸.
C clamp	G clamp	Hardware	[🇬🇧 Brit says] They look more like the letter G though don’t they?
cab	taxi	Transport
call (telephone)	ring	Technology
can	tin	Food	Brits use and understand both terms.
check	cheque	Money	Both pronounced the same.
chips	crisps	Food	🇬🇧 British: Chips are chunky fried potatoes typically served as traditional fish and chips. A packet or bag of crisps is a popular snack. 🇺🇸 American: Chips are potato chips in a bag as a snack.
Cilantro	Coriander	Food
closet	wardrobe, cupboard	Home	Depends on context, a wardrobe in the UK 🇬🇧 is for hanging clothes, closets to store other things would be called cupboards.
college, university	Uni	Education	Uni is an abbreviation of university.
cookies	biscuits	Food	Cookies are also available in UK 🇬🇧.
cooties	lurgi, germs	Health	🇺🇸 USA and 🇨🇦 Canada: Cooties is an imaginary disease children can catch or infect each other with in games or discriminate against each other. 🇬🇧 British: The “dreaded lurgi” or generic “germs”. In WWI trenches head-lice were called cooties or “arithmetic bugs” because they “added to our troubles, subtracted from our pleasures, divided our attention and multiplied like hell.”
cooties	lurgi	Personal	In the UK 🇬🇧 “the dreaded lurgy” or “the lurg” is the non specific illness which applies at any age.
cotton candy	candy floss	Food	Spun sugar treat for children. Usually on a stick, often colored. Popular at fairgrounds or festivals.
counter-clockwise	anti-clockwise	Technology	[🇬🇧 Brit says] You don’t have counter-bacteria in the US so why counter-clockwise? [🇺🇸 American says] You take countermeasures not anti-measures, right?
cremains	remains, ashes	Personal
crib, baby bed	cot	Baby	A cot is more commonly referred to as a camp bed in the US 🇺🇸.
crisp	crumble	Food	A dessert with a sweet crumb topping, e.g. rhubarb crisp or apple crumble.
crosswalk	zebra crossing, pedestrian crossing	Places
cuffs	turn-ups (trousers)	Clothing	Shirts and jackets may have cuffs in the UK 🇬🇧, but not pants!
custom-made	bespoke	Clothing	Bespoke normally applies to fashion.
cut or skip class	play truant	Education
diaper	nappy, terry nappies	Baby	Cloth diapers are commonly called terry nappies in the UK 🇬🇧 .
divided highway	dual carriageway	Motoring	A road with a highway meridian 🇺🇸 or central reservation 🇬🇧.
do the dishes	wash up	Home
downtown	city or town centre	Places
drapes, curtains	curtains, drapes	Home
dumpster	skip	Hardware
Eggplant	Aubergine	Food	🇺🇸 USA, 🇨🇦 Canada, 🇦🇺 Australia, 🇳🇿 NZ and most Commonwealth countries: Eggplant is widely used. 🇬🇧 The Brits use Aubergine, borrowed from french cuisine.
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)	Bankers’ Automated Clearing Services (BACS)	Business	There’s also CHAPS, EFTPOS, SWIFT, IBAN but they don’t work between the UK 🇬🇧 and US 🇺🇸. Alternative international payment methods like Paypal, TransferWise, Google Pay and Amazon Pay are increasingly popular.
elementary school	primary school	Education	Or infant school.
Endive	Chicory	Food
English muffins	muffins	Food	Oddly you can’t buy what Americans call “English muffins” in England. You can buy muffins but they are the more substantial 18th century ancestors from The Muffin Man nursery rhyme era and not the same thing. So think of “English muffins” as exclusively “American muffins”! In the UK 🇬🇧 try “Crumpets” instead. Toast them and top them (don’t split them) with butter and savory or sweet toppings of your choice. Share your thoughts/toppings in the comments.
expert	boffin	Science	Alternatively Scientist, nerd, techie, engineer etc.
fag	cigarette	Confusing	Offensive term for homosexuals in the US 🇺🇸. Potentially embarrassing British vs American words difference.
Fall	Autumn	Seasons	Fall, because the leaves fall. OK, so why not call Winter Cold because it’s cold?
fanny	front bottom, vulva area	Rude	Incorrect usage could cause offense in the UK 🇬🇧.
fanny pack	bum bag	Confusing	Embarrassing British vs American words difference.
faucet	tap	Hardware
Fava beans	Broad beans	Food	There are quite a few differences between British vs American words for foodstuffs.
first floor / ground floor	ground floor	Hotels	🇺🇸 US: The floor above the ground floor is the second floor 🇬🇧 UK: The floor above the ground floor is the first floor.
flashlight	torch	Hardware
flat tire	puncture	Motoring	Equally annoying in either language.
football	American football	Sport	John Cleese tries to explain:
fries	chips	Food	Fries are usually thin, chips are usually chunky.
front desk, reception	reception	Hotels	Reception desk or reception seems to be taking over from front desk.
frosting	icing	Food	It’s sugar either way. In the UK 🇬🇧 a bonus can be described as “the icing on the cake.”
garbage can, trashcans	dustbin, wheelie bins	Home	Waste containers. UK 🇬🇧 wheelie bins are dustbins with wheels on.
garter belt	suspenders	Confusing	Suspenders do not hold up stockings in the US 🇺🇸.
gas station, filling stations	petrol station	Places
Gasoline, gas	Petrol	Technology	In the UK gas powers home heating and cooking but not cars.
government programs	government schemes	Government	Americans would use the British word “schemes” for devious plotting.
green thumb	greenfingers	Garden	Skilled (or lucky) gardener.
ground beef	minced beef	Food	Or just mince.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, GFCI	Residual Current Device, RCD	Electrical	Circuit breaker.
guitar pick	plectrum	Music
high school	comprehensive school	Education	Or secondary school, academy schools, grammar schools.
highway, freeway, expressway	motorway	Motoring
hood	bonnet	Transport
hooters	noses	Confusing	🇺🇸 US slang for bosoms is UK 🇬🇧 slang for noses.
hot flashes	hot flushes	Personal	Common menopause symptom.
hush puppy	Hush Puppy	Food	In Southern USA a hush puppy is a bite-sized deep-fried cornmeal batter ball served as a side dish. For the rest of us Hush Puppy is an international shoe brand for adults and children.
intersection	crossroads	Motoring
intimate apparel, lingerie	lingerie	Clothing	Lingerie sounds so much more romantic doesn’t it?
jello	jelly	Food
jelly	jam	Food
jumper	pinafore dress	Clothing
Kerosene	Paraffin	Technology
Kilroy Was Here	Chad: Wot No…	History	Chad and Kilroy graffiti emerged during World War II from an original British cartoon published in 1938. The British “Wot No” slogan followed by another word is still widely used today. The original “Wot No Sugar” slogan referred to food rationing during WWII. The origin of “Kilroy was here” is disputed but can be seen all over the world. Interestingly “Foo was here” is used in Australia and other names were used in other countries including Smoe, Private Snoops, Clem and Sapo.
laid off	redundancy, made redundant	Jobs	Not good in either language and inevitably leads to waiting in line or queuing.
laundromat	launderette	Places	Although the UK 🇬🇧 does have launderettes they are not as common as in the 🇺🇸.
legumes	pulses	Food	In the UK (🇨🇦 Canada, 🇦🇺 Australia & 🇳🇿 NZ etc.) pulses refer to the dried edible seeds of some plants in the legume family, e.g. lentils, beans chickpeas and split peas. Officially a legume is any plant of the Fabaceae/Leguminosae family and since some leguminous plants are not edible. We think the Brits win this one.
line	queue	Places	Typical usage includes “wait in line”, “join the queue” etc.
Liquid Paper / Wite-Out	Tipp-Ex	Office	Both brand names for correction fluid with many other variations worldwide.
liquor store	off license	Places	For takeout/takeaway purchases.
lobby	foyer (of a building)	Hotels
lucky, fluky	jammy	Slang	Probably from early use of having expensive jam considered lucky.
main street	high street	Places
making out	snogging	Personal	Sings: “USA and UK sitting in a tree, K-i-s-s-i-n-g!” from the popular US children’s playground kissing song
mall	shopping centre	Places	Mall is also in common usage across the UK.
mass transit	public transport	Transport
math	maths	Education	🇺🇸🇨🇦 USA/Canada: Math 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿 UK, Australia, New Zealand (and more): Maths
molasses	treacle	Food	Sugar syrup.
mononucleosis	glandular fever	Illness
funeral director, mortician	funeral director, undertaker	Occupation	Mortician is old-fashioned and undertaker are both largely superceded by funeral director.
mouth guard	gum shield	Personal
oatmeal, grits	porridge or porridge oats	Food	Boiled cereals or grains cooked in milk or water. Grits is a porridge made from corn which is uncommon in the UK 🇬🇧.
overpass	flyover	Motoring	Underpass is commonly used in the UK but not overpass.
pacifier	dummy, comforter	Baby	Also referred to as a binky or soother in some other countries.
package	parcel	Home	In UK a package would be bigger than a flat envelope.
pads	towels	Personal	Tampons gets the message across in both countries.
pajamas	pyjamas	Clothing	Sleepwear (of Persian origin). The abbreviation Pjs seems to be understood everywhere. Other words include jimjams, jimmyjams, jimmies, jammies etc.
panties	knickers	Clothing	Generally both refer to underwear for women.
pants	underwear	Confusing	🇺🇸 American: Pants can be trousers or slacks which are semi-formal (suit pants, dress slacks, etc.). Trousers are usually casual – but not jeans which are made of denim 🇬🇧 British: Pants are usually underwear (knickers, briefs).
pantyhose	tights	Clothing	Tights are thick pantyhose in the US 🇺🇸.
parentheses	brackets	Education	Brits understand parentheses but commonly refer to () as brackets. Brackets are also used to hold up shelves.
parking garage	multi-storey car park	Places, motoring
parking lot	car park	Places, motoring	In general brits use lot to describe a quantity where “a lot” is the opposite of “a little”, rather than a place.
pasties (nipple coverings)	meat pies	Confusing	Cornish pasties are famous pastries.
pecker	courage, spirits	Rude	“Keep your pecker up” means “keep your spirits up” in UK 🇬🇧. It’s not generally slang for penis.
pharmacist, drug store, pharmacy	Chemist	Places, confusing	One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide.
phone, cell phone	telephone, mobile phone, mobile	Technology	As time passes will we eventually just settle on “phones”?
pitcher	jug	Drink	Some UK 🇬🇧 pubs do sell beer in pitchers.
planter wart	verruca	Health	On feet.
plastic wrap, Saran wrap, plastic film	cling-film, food wrap	Food	Thin plastic food wrap that clings to itself.
popsicle	ice lolly	Food	Typically on a wooden or plastic stick.
principal	head	Education	Head teacher, headmaster, headmistress.
purse, handbag	handbag	Confusing	🇺🇸 US: Purse is common in the Midwest (and elsewhere?). Handbag is common in the Northeast. Women store money in a billfold which sometimes includes a coin purse area. 🇬🇧 UK: Women use purses to store notes, coins, cards and so one which they place inside their handbag along with many other “essential” items.
railroad	railway	Transport
rain boots, gumboots, rubber boots	wellies, Wellington boots	Footwear	Wellington boots were made popular in the UK 🇬🇧 by Arthur Wellesley the 1st Duke of Wellington.
raincoat	mac, macintosh	Clothing	A Mac is now more likely to refer to an Apple computer than a raincoat.
raise (salary)	pay rise	Money
rappel	abseil	Sport	Descent on a rope down a mountain or building. Both are loanwords; rappel from french, abseil from german.
realtor, real estate agent	estate agent	Occupation
recess, break	break, recess	Education	🇺🇸 US: Recess is either a play break in elementary (primary) school or between proceedings in court or Congress. Short coffee and lunch breaks in workplaces are common 🇬🇧 UK: Tea break, coffee break, lunch breaks are all in common usage. Recess can be used instead of break, most likely in public (i.e. Private) schools. Recess is used in Parliament and for breaks in government procedures.
resume	CV	Education	CV short for Curriculum Vitae which is Latin for “the course of life”.
RIF, RIF’d, pink slip	P45	Jobs	if you get your P45 you’ve been fired!
rubber	eraser	Confusing	A rubber is a condom in the US, in the right context rubber would be understood in the UK 🇬🇧.
Rube Goldberg device, Goldbergian	Heath Robinson device	Technology	Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) and Heath Robinson (1872-1944) both illustrated whimsically complicated devices to achieve simple tasks. Heath Robinson cartoons became popular during WWI. At around the same time Rube Goldberg cartoons, including animated cartoons for Pathé News were popular. Both historical British vs American words that remain in common use today.
RV park	caravan site, caravan park	Transport	Typically provide electrical outlets, toilets, and washing facilities.
RV, recreational vehicle, camper van	camper van, motor home	Transport	US style truck campers (TC) are called camper vans in the UK 🇬🇧. There are many variations of motorhome and trailer combinations used around the world.
Scallions	Spring onions	Food	Food is a rich source of British vs American words.
school quiz	test	Education	🇺🇸 US: School quizzes are taken between tests and are common at all educational levels 🇬🇧 UK: Quizzes are generally for fun, tests tend to be more serious.
Scotch tape	Sellotape	Household	Both brand names for pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Sometimes called “sticky tape” in the UK 🇬🇧.
second floor	first floor	Hotels	Even more irritating.
semen	spunk	Rude	Semen is understood, spunk is slang.
senior citizen	OAP	People	Old Age Pensioner.
shag (rug, dance)	sexual intercourse	Rude	Use carefully!
shedding (hair)	moulting	Hair
sidewalk	pavement	Places	Path is more commonly used today. A pavement was traditionally formed using “paving slabs”, they’re mostly asphalt these days.
silverware, flatware, cutlery	cutlery, silverware, flatware	Kitchen	🇺🇸 US: Cutlery refers to just knives (knives cut) rather than a set of cutlery which can also be called flatware. 🇬🇧 UK: Cutlery specifically means knives, forks and spoons. Silverware can be anything silver, silver plated or colored for serving or table use. Flatware includes plates, saucers etc.
sleep, nap	kip, nap	Rude	A kip house is a brothel in the US.
sneakers, tennis shoes, gym shoes	trainers, plimsolls	Footwear	🇺🇸 US: Midwest: tennis shoes (even if never used for tennis). Chicago area: gym shoes. Elsewhere sneakers is commonplace. 🇬🇧 UK: Trainers is the most widely used, sneakers is understood. Plimsolls is old-fashioned but still used to describe footwear in school gym kit.
soccer	football	Sport	Soccer was originally a British word which declined in use except in the context of international football including soccer in the USA.
soft drink, soda	fizzy drink, soda	Drink	Americans use “soft drink” as a generic term for non-hard drinks (which contain alcohol) including cola.
Kool Aid, sticks, soft drink mixes	squash	Drink	🇬🇧 British: Soft drinks which add powder or liquid concentrate to flavor water are called “squash” or “cordial” so look for Squash & Cordial in supermarkets. They do not taste like Butternut squash! 🇺🇸 American: Soft drink powder “sticks” are popular and generally called Kool Aid irrespective of the brand. Concentrates are also available.
sophomore year	second year	Education	Both countries have freshers/freshman first years.
sprinkles	hundreds and thousands	Food	On cakes and trifles.
spunk	courage	Rude
squash	marrow, gourd	Food	And other gourds including, in the UK 🇬🇧, Butternut Squash.
station wagon	estate car	Transport
stove	cooker, range	Kitchen	Or range.
streetcar	tram	Transport	Streetcar seems US 🇺🇸 centric. In the rest of the world “trams” covers all streetcar systems which share roads with other forms of transport. Streetcar systems which run on dedicated track or have private/exclusive right of way are called “light rail” in both countries.
stroller	pushchair or buggy	Baby	Stoller is also understood in the UK.
subway	underground	Places
sucker	lollipop	Food	Sucker also means a fool in most English speaking countries.
suspenders	braces	Confusing.	Braces are used to hold up trousers in UK 🇬🇧.
sweater	jumper	Clothing.
sweatpants	tracksuit bottoms	Sport, Clothing.	Soft casual trousers, originally for athletics, now popular comfort and casual wear. 🇺🇸 US: Sweatpants 🇬🇧 UK: Tracksuit bottoms, joggers, trackie bottoms 🇦🇺 Australia: Trackpants, trackies, tracky daks.
Swede	Rutabaga	Food	British vs American words are often different for vegetable family names.
table a motion	table a motion	Business	In the US 🇺🇸 the motion has been postponed. In the UK 🇬🇧 the motion is ready to discuss now!
takeout, carry out	takeaway	Food	Food to go or delivered. In the US 🇺🇸 take outs are often down-market establishments.
thongs, flip flops	flip-flops	Confusing	Thongs is old-fashioned in the US 🇺🇸 but still common in Australia 🇦🇺. Thongs are similar to g-strings in the UK 🇬🇧.
tire	tyre	Transport
track and field	athletics	Sports	One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide.
traffic circle, roundabout	roundabout	Motoring	Both are understood in both coutries so no problem.
travel trailer	caravan, mobile home	Transport
truck	lorry	Transport
trunk (of car)	boot	Transport
two weeks	fortnight	Time
undershirt	vest	Clothing	Also semmit is used in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland and Ireland 🇮🇪.
vacation	holiday	Travel	“Staycation” is becoming a popular expression for a “holiday at home” in UK 🇬🇧.
vacationer	holidaymaker	Travel
vajayjay	vagina	Rude
vest	waistcoat	Clothing
vise grips	Mole grips	Hardware	[American says] There’s no mole though is there?
wash your hands, wash up	wash your hands	Home	In the UK 🇬🇧 wash up would be doing the dishes. Many public toilets/washrooms display “Now wash your hands” signs.
windbreaker	windcheater	Clothing	Or a cagoule.
windshield	windscreen	Motoring	Motoring is a rich source of British vs American words.
wrench	spanner	Hardware
yard	garden	Places	🇺🇸 USA: Back yards may be called back gardens in some situations. 🇬🇧 UK: Front gardens are between the road and the house, back gardens are behind the house. Yards are usually commerical building suppliers.
zero	nil	Sport	In football (soccer) zero is never used. If the score is 3-0 you say “three-nil” not “three-zero”.
ZIP code	Postcode	Home, transport, technology	Postal codes, as zones, were first used in London, England in 1857. The modern ZIP (Zone Improvement Code) was introduced in Soviet Ukraine in 1932. 🇺🇸 USA: ZIP codes where introduced in 1963. 🇬🇧 UK: Postcodes introduced from 1959, widespread by 1974. 🇨🇦 Canada: Postal codes introduced 1971, widespread by 1974. 🇦🇺 Australia: Postcodes were introduced in 1967. 🇳🇿New Zealand: Postcodes were introduced in 1977. 🇮🇳 India: PIN code (Postal Index System) was introduced in 1972.
Zucchini	Courgette	food	[🇬🇧 Brit says] Courgette from french cuisine.

FAQs About British vs American Words

Is American a Language?

No, “American” is not a language. “American English” is a dialect of English.

Why Do Americans and the British Spell Words Differently?

The main reason is Noah Webster, the man behind the first grammar schoolbooks and the Webster Dictionary. Webster asserted American cultural independence by spelling words like they sound (e.g. “favor” instead of “favour”) etc.

Why is British and American English Punctuation Different?

The key difference is the use of quotation marks which were the same until 1906 when “The King’s English” book on English usage was published in Britain. It advocated moving full stops (periods) and commas outside quotation marks to protect the thin/delicate punctuation metal type. This change was not adopted in north America resulting in the two different styles in use today.

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Help ADDucation improve this British vs American words list by adding new words or explanations in the comments below…

10 responses to “British vs American Words 🇬🇧🇺🇸”

Thomas says:

September 7, 2022 at 3:16 pm

Do you have a list of words with American vs. British spelling, i.e., color/colour, etc.?

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  September 7, 2022 at 7:54 pm
  
  Hi Thomas, we mention in the intro this list doesn’t cover US/UK spelling differences but I found this which includes the common spelling variations along with a list of 1800 words:
  https://www.tysto.com/2012/05/uk-vs-us-spelling/
  
  Reply
Derek says:

March 12, 2021 at 7:16 am

Here’s my input from an American perspective:
- Flip flops is more common than thongs in the USA these days, although we exclusively call them thongs back in the day
- Carry out is as common take out. In Chicago “take outs” are commonly “greasy spoon” type places
- The flavored sugar added to water based drinks is universally called Kool Aid – even if it isn’t that particular brand – kind of like Hoover instead of vacuum cleaner
- Garden is common for a “back yard” if it is small and intimate (back garden, say, in a smaller lot urban setting)
- Cutlery is a commonly used word in the States, but generally refers to knives only (knives cut, get it)
- Hotels often have a mezzanine floor half floor below or above the ground/1st floor
- US Mid-terms are tests/exams are taken halfway through a semester with final exams (finals) at the end. Pop quizzes are unannounced mini-tests to make sure students have been keeping up with their reading assignments
- Where I grew up in the Midwest, sneakers were almost universally called tennis shoes, even if one never even considered playing tennis. In the Chicago area where I live, they’re called gym shoes. In the Northeast and elsewhere I suppose, sneakers is more common
- Drapes are more big and heavy floor to ceiling type; curtains more light and fitted more closely to window size.
I was only going to mention a few but got carried away – in these Covid times what else am I going to do?

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  March 18, 2021 at 11:38 pm
  
  Hi Derek, thanks for your detailed suggestions to improve our british vs american words list. I’ve incorporated most of your comments into the main list. Here are the rest of your comments so other people can comment.
  
  Reply
Sandithma Basnayake says:

February 2, 2021 at 10:18 am

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS! This has been very helpful for me. I am not originally from America or Britain but I studied British English from a small age and was still confused about the differences between the two English types. I do still have a question though. What is the difference between College and University? Is it like the same thing or 2 different institutions?

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  February 11, 2021 at 3:27 pm
  
  Hi Sandithma, that makes us happy 🙂
  In general terms universities award degrees and offer post graduate options. Some colleges (and other institutions) may award degrees alongside undergraduate and other courses.
  
  Reply
Sandy says:

February 2, 2021 at 10:07 am

I really loved this list – it was very helpful! I had a lot of trouble with the difference between American English and British English and feel much better after reading this list which helped clear upi my doubts!

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- Joe Connor says:
  
  March 18, 2021 at 11:42 pm
  
  Thank you that makes us happy 🙂
  
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Scott Catulle says:

February 26, 2015 at 2:54 am

I am curious as to an old song by Julian Lennon, in which he says, “Sitting on a pebble by the river playing guitar”. I am curious as to whether a “Pebble” in England means “Rock”? Forgive me for stating the obvious, but in the U.S., a Pebble would be a very tiny rock…like the size of a marble or smaller. Just curious if it has a different meaning in the U.K.? I love your website, btw!

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- Joe says:
  
  March 6, 2015 at 4:32 am
  
  Hi Scott, pebbles are small in England too. They’re generally stones which have been worn smooth by erosion on beaches and can certainly be bigger than marbles. An individual pebble could be big enough to sit on, as the lyric suggests, but we’d probably call anything large enough to sit on a smooth rock. Glad you love the website, thanks for commenting.
  
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