British vs American Words
British vs American Words List
ADDucation’s list of British vs American words list focuses on words and phrases which could be misunderstood, cause confusion, embarrassment or are just plain funny. We’ve left out simple spelling differences and words which have obvious alternatives. The English language evolves every day and cultural exchange is alive and well comparing British vs American words. British TV shows are popular in the US and American TV series are popular in the UK so maybe this list will be redundant one day? In the meantime it’s fun to explore and celebrate the differences between British vs American words.
“England and America are Two Countries Separated by the Same Language” – George Bernard Shaw
ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort British vs American words. Click the + icon to show any hidden columns. Set your browser to full screen and zoom out to display as many columns as possible. Start typing in the Filter table box to find any word quickly inside the table.
| US Word/Phrase | UK Word/Phrase | Category | Notes on British vs American words |
|---|---|---|---|
| government programs | government schemes | Government | Americans would use the British work “schemes” for devious plotting |
| diaper | nappy | Baby | Cloth diapers are commonly called terry nappies in the UK |
| baby carriage | pram | Baby | Pram (from perambulator) is often used for any wheeled baby transport in UK |
| stroller | pushchair or buggy | Baby | |
| pacifier | dummy, comforter | Baby | Also referred to as a binky or soother in some countries |
| crib, baby bed | cot | Baby | Cot is more commonly a camp bed in the US. |
| 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! |
| 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, Paypal does |
| pantyhose | tights | Clothing | Tights are thick pantyhose in the US. |
| panties | knickers | Clothing | Generally both refer to underwear for women. |
| pajamas | pyjamas | Clothing | Sleepwear, both of Persian origin, with lots of abbreviations including PJs, jimjams, jimmyjams, jimmies or jammies. |
| vest | waistcoat | Clothing | |
| undershirt | vest | Clothing | Also semmit in Scotland and Ireland. |
| sweater | jumper | Clothing | |
| jumper | pinafore dress | Clothing | |
| cuffs | turn-ups (trousers) | Clothing | Shirts and jackets may have cuffs in the UK, but not pants! |
| intimate apparel | lingerie | Clothing | Lingerie sounds so much more romantic doesn’t it? |
| custom-made | bespoke | Clothing | Bespoke normally applies to fashion. |
| raincoat | mac, macintosh | Clothing | A Mac in the US in an Apple computer. |
| windbreaker | windcheater | Clothing | Or a cagoule. |
| bathing suit | swimming costume | Clothing | Men wear swimming trunks in UK. |
| fanny pack | bum bag | Confusing | Embarrassing British vs American words difference. |
| bum | tramp | Confusing | |
| ass | donkey | Confusing | |
| pants | underwear | Confusing | Pants can be trousers, jeans or slacks in the US. |
| rubber | eraser | Confusing | A rubber is a condom in the US, in the right context rubber would be understood in the UK. |
| thongs | flip-flops | Confusing | Thongs are similar to g-strings in the UK. |
| suspenders | braces | Confusing | Braces are used to hold up trousers in UK. |
| garter belt | suspenders | Confusing | Suspenders do not hold up stockings in the US. |
| fag | cigarette | Confusing | Offensive term for homosexuals in the US. |
| hooters | noses | Confusing | US slang for bosoms is UK slang for noses. |
| pasties (nipple coverings) | meat pies | Confusing | Cornish pasties are famous. |
| purse | handbag | Confusing | Women in the UK use purses to hold money, which they put in their handbag along with many other items. |
| pitcher | jug | Drink | Some UK pubs do sell beer in pitchers. |
| beer | lager | Drink | UK beer (IPA style) is typically flat and not chilled. |
| soda | fizzy drink | Drink | |
| college, university | Uni | Education | Uni, short for university. |
| high school | comprehensive school | Education | Or secondary school, academy schools, grammar schools. |
| elementary school | primary school | Education | Or infant school. |
| principle | head | Education | Head teacher, headmaster, headmistress. |
| resume | CV | Education | CV short for Curriculum Vitae which is Latin for “the course of life”. |
| school quiz | test | Education | Quizzes are generally for fun in UK, tests tend to be more serious. |
| recess | break | Education | Tea break, lunch break etc. |
| sophomore year | second year | Education | Both countries have freshers/freshman first years. |
| parentheses | brackets | Education | Brackets () in calculus, otherwise brackets to hold up shelves. |
| cut or skip class | play truant | Education | |
| Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, GFCI | Residual Current Device, RCD | Electrical | Circuit breaker. |
| can | tin | Food | |
| popsicle | ice lolly | Food | Typically on a wooden or plastic stick. |
| sucker | lollipop | Food | Sucker also means a fool in both countries. |
| chips | crisps | Food | |
| fries | chips | Food | Fries are usually thin, chips are usually chunky. |
| cotton candy | candyfloss | Food | |
| plastic wrap, Saran wrap, plastic film | cling-film, food wrap | Food | |
| oatmeal | porridge or porridge oats | Food | |
| cookies | biscuits | Food | Cookies are also available in UK. |
| biscuits | crackers | Food | |
| jelly | jam | Food | |
| jello | jelly | Food | |
| Zucchini | Courgette | Food | [Brit says] Courgette from french cuisine. |
| Eggplant | Aubergine | Food | [Brit says] Courgette from french cuisine. |
| Fava beans | Broad beans | Food | |
| Endive | Chicory | Food | |
| Cilantro | Coriander | Food | |
| Arugula | Rocket, salad leaves | Food | |
| Scallions | Spring onions | Food | |
| Swede | Rutabaga | Food | British vs American words are often different for vegetable family names. |
| baking soda | bicarbonate of soda | Food | Or just bicarb. |
| ground beef | minced beef | Food | Or just mince. |
| sprinkles | hundreds and thousands | Food | On cakes and trifles. |
| frosting | icing | Food | It’s sugar either way. |
| takeout | takeaway | Food | Food to go or delivered. |
| molasses | treacle | Food | Sugar syrup. |
| English muffins | muffins | Food | Oddly you can’t buy 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 at all. Think of English muffins as exclusively American muffins. In the UK try “Crumpets” instead. Toast them and top (don’t split them) them with butter and savory or sweet toppings of your choice – and share your thoughts/toppings in the comments. |
| squash | marrow | Food | And other gourds, but in UK we do have Butternut Squash. |
| 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. |
| sneakers | trainers, plimsolls | Footwear | |
| green thumb | greenfingers | Garden | Skilled (or lucky) gardener. |
| shedding (hair) | moulting | Hair | |
| bangs | fringe (hair) | Hair | |
| bobby pin | hair grip | Hair | |
| braid | plait | Hair | |
| flashlight | torch | Hardware | |
| faucet | tap | Hardware | |
| wrench | spanner | Hardware | |
| C clamp | G clamp | Hardware | [Brit says] They look more like the letter G though don’t they? |
| vise grips | Mole grips | Hardware | |
| dumpster | skip | Hardware | |
| Scotch tape | Sellotape | Household | Both brand names for pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Sometimes called “sticky tape” in the UK. |
| 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 around the world include Smoe, Private Snoops, Clem and Sapo. |
| closet | wardrobe | Home | Depends on context, a wardrobe in the UK is for hanging clothes but a “water closet” is sometimes signed a WC but more commonly “Toilets”. |
| drapes | curtains | Home | |
| garbage can | dustbin | Home | |
| apartment | flat | Home | |
| do the dishes | wash up | Home | |
| wash up | wash your hands | Home | In the UK wash up would be doing the dishes. |
| zip code | postcode | Home | |
| package | parcel | Home | In UK a package would be bigger than a flat envelope. |
| first floor | ground floor | Hotels | Very irritating. |
| second floor | first floor | Hotels | Even more irritating. |
| lobby | foyer (of a building) | Hotels | |
| front desk | reception | Hotels | |
| mononucleosis | Glandular fever | Illness | |
| laid off | redundancy, made redundant | Jobs | Not good in either language. |
| RIF, RIF’d, pink slip | P45 | Jobs | if you get your P45 you’ve been fired! |
| silverware, flatware | cutlery | Kitchen | Knives, forks and spoons. |
| stove | cooker | Kitchen | Or range. |
| burner | hob | Kitchen | |
| broil | grill | Kitchen | Cooking method using direct heat from above. |
| planter wart | verruca | Medical | On feet. |
| Acetaminophen | Paracetamol | Medicine | One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide. |
| check | cheque | Money | Both pronounced the same. |
| raise (salary) | pay rise | Money | |
| buck | quid | Money | A buck is a dollar, a quid is a pound. |
| traffic circle | roundabout | Motoring | |
| flat tire | puncture | Motoring | Equally annoying in either language. |
| windshield | windscreen | Motoring | |
| highway, freeway, expressway | motorway | Motoring | |
| divided highway | dual carriageway | Motoring | |
| intersection | crossroads | Motoring | |
| beltway | ring road | Motoring | Typically around major towns and cities. |
| overpass | flyover | Motoring | |
| guitar pick | plectrum | Music | |
| realtor | estate agent | Occupation | |
| Mortician | Funeral director | Occupation | |
| Liquid Paper / Wite-Out | Tipp-Ex | Office | Both brand names for correction fluid with many other variations worldwide. |
| senior citizen | OAP | People | Old Age Pensioner |
| 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 |
| mouth guard | gum shield | Personal | |
| booger | bogey | Personal | |
| cooties | lurgi | Personal | “the dreaded lurgy”, the lurg etc, non specific illness. |
| hot flashes | hot flushes | Personal | Common menopause symptom. |
| pads | towels | Personal | Tampons gets the message across in both countries. |
| yard | garden | Places | |
| downtown | city or town centre | Places | |
| sidewalk | pavement | Places | Path is more commonly used today. A pavement was traditionally formed using “paving slabs”, they’re mostly asphalt these days |
| mall | shopping centre | Places | Mall is also in common usage across the UK. |
| main street | high street | Places | |
| gas station | petrol station | Places | |
| laundromat | launderette | Places | Although the UK has launderettes they are not as common in the US. |
| bar | pub | Places | Abbreviation for Public House. |
| boardwalk | promenade | Places | Typically at a seaside. |
| pharmacist, drug store, pharmacy | Chemist | Places | One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide. |
| liquor store | off license | Places | For takeout/takeaway purchases. |
| subway | underground | Places | |
| boardwalk | promenade | Places | Typically at a seaside. |
| c.rosswalk | zebra crossing, pedestrian crossing | Places | |
| line | queue | Places | Typical usage includes “wait in line”, “join the queue” etc. |
| parking lot | car park | Places, Motoring | |
| parking garage | multi-storey car park | Places, Motoring | |
| spunk | courage | Rude | |
| semen | spunk | Rude | |
| fanny | front bottom, vulva area | Rude | Incorrect usage could cause offense in the UK. |
| beaver | pubic hair, front bottom area | Rude | In the 1988 movie The Naked Gun Frank (Leslie Nielsen) says “nice beaver” to Jane (Priscilla Presley): |
| butt | arse | Rude | Arse is ass or butt in the US. |
| buns | bread rolls, sticky buns | Rude | Buns are not butt cheeks in the UK! |
| pecker | courage, spirits | Rude | “Keep your pecker up” means “keep your spirits up” in UK. It’s not slang for penis! |
| vajayjay | vagina | Rude | |
| shag (rug, dance) | sexual intercourse | Rude | Use carefully! |
| sleep, nap | kip | Rude | A kip house is a brothel in the US. |
| expert | boffin | Science | Alternatively Scientist, nerd, techy, engineer etc. |
| Fall | Autumn | Seasons | Fall, because the leaves fall. OK, so why not call Winter Cold because it’s cold? |
| lucky, fluky | jammy | Slang | Probably from early use of having expensive jam considered lucky. |
| 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. |
| football | American football | Sport | John Cleese tries to explain: |
| sweatpants | tracksuit bottoms | Sport | Or trackie bottoms. |
| baseball | rounders | Sport | Both broadly similar games but rounders uses a smaller bat swung with one arm, mostly played in schools. |
| track and field | athletics | Sports | One of those British vs American words that really should be standardized worldwide. |
| 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? |
| phone, cell phone | telephone, mobile phone, mobile | Technology | As time passes will we eventually just settle on “phones”? |
| call (telephone) | ring | Technology | |
| Kerosene | Paraffin | Technology | |
| Gasoline, gas | Petrol | Technology | In the UK gas powers home heating and cooking but not cars. |
| two weeks | fortnight | Time | |
| tire | tyre | Transport | |
| trunk (of car) | boot | Transport | |
| hood | bonnet | Transport | |
| truck | lorry | Transport | |
| cab | taxi | Transport | |
| station wagon | estate car | Transport | |
| airplane | aeroplane | Transport | |
| railroad | railway | Transport | |
| travel trailer | caravan, mobile home | Transport | |
| RV, recreational vehicle | camper van, motor home | Transport | |
| RV park | caravan site, caravan park | Transport | |
| mass transit | public transport | Transport | |
| vacation | holiday | Travel | “Staycation” is becoming a popular expression for a “holiday at home” in UK. |
| vacationer | holidaymaker | Travel | |
| zero | nil | Sport | In football (soccer) zero is never used. If the score is 2-0 you say “two-nil” not “two-zero”. |
British vs American Words Related Lists
- Common Internet chat abbreviations…
- Common foreign words…
- Most common languages on Earth…
- Something to add to our British vs American words list? Please add your comments below…
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.
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!