British and American English – Vocabulary – A – M
Here you will find words which have different meanings or are spelled differently in British and American English.
British English | American English |
---|---|
A | |
accelerator | gas pedal, accelerator |
aerial (TV, radio) | antenna, aerial |
Alsatian | German shepherd |
American Indian | Native American |
anorak | jacket, parka |
at the weekend | on the weekend |
aubergine | eggplant |
B | |
bank holiday | national holiday, federal holiday |
barrister, solicitor | lawyer, attorney |
base rate | prime rate |
to bath | to bathe |
beetroot | beet |
bill | check |
bin, dustbin | garbage can/trash can |
biro | ball-point pen |
biscuit | cookie |
bonnet | hood |
boot | trunk |
braces | suspenders |
(round) brackets | parentheses |
C | |
candy floss | cotton candy |
car park | parking lot |
caravan | trailer |
caretaker | janitor |
catalogue | catalog |
centre | center |
chemist's shop | drugstore, pharmacy |
chips | French fries |
city centre | downtown, city center |
cloakroom | checkroom, coatroom |
clothes peg | clothespin |
colour | color |
cooker | stove |
(bathing) costume | swimsuit |
cosy | cozy |
cot (Baby) | crib |
cotton wool | cotton ball |
courgette | zucchini |
crisps | potato chips |
crossroads | crossroad (in the country) |
intersection (town and country) | |
curriculum vitae (CV) | résumé |
curriculum vitae | |
D | |
dinner jacket | tux, tuxedo |
directory enquiries | directory assistance |
diversion | detour |
doll's house | dollhouse |
double cream | heavy cream |
draught | draft |
draughts | checkers |
drawing pin | thumbtack |
dressing gown | (bath) robe |
drink driving | drunk driving |
driving licence | driver's license |
dummy | pacifier |
duvet | comforter |
E | |
earth wire | ground wire |
engaged | busy |
enquiry | inquiry |
everywhere | everyplace, everywhere |
expiry date | expiration date |
F | |
fancy dress | costumes |
Father Christmas | Santa Claus |
favourite | favorite |
to fill in | to fill out |
film | film, movie |
fire brigade | fire department |
first floor | second floor |
fish-fingers | fish-sticks |
flannel | face cloth, wash cloth |
flat | apartment |
(flat: apartment with a single floor) | |
flavour | flavor |
football | soccer |
fortnight | two weeks |
fringe | bangs |
from Monday to Friday | from Monday to Friday |
from Monday through Friday (Friday included) | |
full stop | period |
G | |
garden | yard |
gear lever | gear shift |
Gents | Men's Room |
goods train | freight train |
ground floor | first floor, ground floor (in public buildings) |
H | |
harbour | harbor |
headmaster, headteacher | principal |
to hire | to rent |
hire purchase | installment plan |
hockey | field hockey |
holiday | vacation |
hoover | vacuum cleaner |
humour | humor |
I | |
icing sugar | powdered sugar |
indicator | blinker, turn signal |
inverted commas, quotation marks | quotation marks |
J | |
jacket potato | baked potato |
jewellery | jewelry |
Joe Bloggs | Joe Blow |
jumble sale | yard sale |
jumper | sweater |
K | |
kilometre | kilometer |
L | |
ladybird | ladybug |
to lay the table | to set the table |
letterbox, postbox | mailbox |
lift | elevator |
litre | liter |
lorry | truck |
lost property | lost and found |
M | |
mackintosh | raincoat |
managing director | CEO (chief executive officer) |
mashed potato, mash | mashed potatoes |
match | game |
maths | math |
mobile (phone) | cellphone |
motorbike | motorcycle |
motorway | freeway, highway, expressway, interstate |
mum | mom |
Thanks to Carl, Declan, Edeet, Gabriele, Hans, John, Karin, Liz, Monika, Oleg, Ron, Ulrike and Vicky.