British/North American Vocabulary
Here are some of the main differences in vocabulary between British
and North American English.
| British |
Canadian |
American |
| anywhere |
anywhere |
anyplace |
| autumn |
autumn/fall |
fall |
| barrister |
lawyer |
attorney |
| beeper, pager |
pager |
beeper |
| bill (restaurant) |
bill |
check |
| biscuit |
cookie |
cookie |
| block of flats |
apartment block |
apartment building |
| bonnet |
hood |
hood |
| boot (of car) |
trunk (of car) |
trunk (of automobile)
|
| car |
car |
automobile |
| caravan |
trailer |
trailer |
| chemist |
drugstore |
drugstore |
| chest of drawers |
dresser |
bureau |
| chips |
French fries/chips |
French fries |
| chocolate bar |
chocolate bar |
candy bar |
| the cinema |
movies |
the movies |
| clothes peg |
clothes peg |
clothespin |
| coffin |
coffin |
casket |
| condom |
condom |
rubber |
| crisps |
potato chips |
potato chips |
| crossroads |
intersection |
intersection |
| cupboard |
cupboard |
closet |
| cutlery |
cutlery |
silverware |
| diversion |
diversion, detour |
detour |
| drawing-pin |
thumbtack |
thumbtack |
| driving licence |
driver's licence |
driver's license |
| dummy (for babies) |
soother |
pacifier |
| dustbin |
garbage can, trash can |
ashcan, garbage can, trashcan
|
| dustman |
garbageman |
garbage collector |
| engine |
engine |
motor |
| estate agent |
real estate agent |
realtor |
| film |
movie |
movie |
| flat |
apartment |
apartment |
| flat tyre |
flat tire |
flat |
| flyover |
overpass |
overpass |
| galoshes |
galoshes |
toe rubbers |
| gear-lever |
gearshift |
gearshift |
| Girl Guide |
Girl Guide |
Girl Scout |
| ground floor |
ground floor, main floor |
first floor |
| handbag |
handbag |
purse |
| holiday |
holiday |
vacation |
| jam |
jam |
jelly |
| jeans |
jeans |
blue jeans |
| jug |
jug |
pitcher |
| lift |
elevator |
elevator |
| lorry |
truck |
truck |
| luggage |
luggage |
baggage |
| mad |
crazy |
crazy |
| main road |
main road, main thoroughfare |
highway |
| maize |
corn |
corn |
| maths |
math |
math |
| mobile (phone) |
cellular phone |
cellular |
| motorbike |
motorbike, motorcycle |
motorcycle |
| motorway |
highway, thoroughfare |
freeway, expressway |
| motorway |
freeway |
freeway |
| napkin |
serviette, table napkin |
napkin |
| nappy |
diaper |
diaper |
| naughts and crosses |
tick-tack-toe |
tic-tack-toe |
| pants |
shorts |
shorts |
| pavement |
sidewalk, pavement |
sidewalk |
| petrol |
gas, gasoline |
gas, gasoline |
| The Plough |
Big Dipper |
Big Dipper |
| pocket money |
pocket money |
allowance |
| post |
mail, post |
mail |
| postbox |
mailbox, post-box |
mailbox |
| postcode |
postal code |
zip code |
| postman |
mailman, letter carrier |
mailman |
| pub |
bar, pub |
bar |
| public toilet |
bathroom |
rest room |
| puncture |
flat |
flat |
| railway |
railway |
railroad |
| return (ticket) |
return |
round-trip |
| reverse charge |
collect call, reverse the charges |
call collect |
| ring road |
ring road |
beltway |
| road surface |
road surface, asphalt |
pavement |
| roundabout |
roundabout |
traffic circle |
| rubber |
eraser |
eraser |
| rubbish |
garbage, trash, refuse |
garbage, trash |
| rubbish-bin |
garbage can, trashcan |
garbage can, trashcan |
| saloon (car) |
sedan (car) |
sedan (automobile) |
| shop |
shop, store |
store |
| single (ticket) |
one-way (ticket) |
one-way |
| solicitor |
lawyer |
attorney |
| somewhere |
somewhere |
someplace |
| spanner |
wrench |
wrench |
| spirits |
spirits |
hard liquor |
| sweets |
candy, sweets |
candy |
| tap (indoors) |
tap (indoors) |
faucet |
| tap (outdoors) |
tap (outdoors) |
spigot |
| taxi |
taxi |
cab |
| tea-towel |
dish-towel |
dish-towel |
| telly, TV |
TV |
TV |
| third-party insurance |
third-party insurance |
liability insurance |
| timetable |
schedule |
schedule |
| tin |
tin can |
can |
| toll motorway |
toll highway |
turnpike |
| torch |
flashlight |
flashlight |
| trousers |
pants |
pants |
| tube (train) |
subway, metro |
subway |
| underground (train)
|
subway, metro |
subway |
| underpants |
shorts |
shorts |
| van |
truck |
truck |
| vest |
undershirt |
undershirt |
| waistcoat |
vest |
vest |
| wallet |
wallet |
billfold |
| wellington boots |
rubber boots |
rubbers |
| whisky |
whisky, scotch |
whiskey, scotch |
| windscreen |
windshield |
windshield |
| zip |
zipper |
zipper |
|
