Words Spelled in British English (UK English) That US Writers and Editors Should Know

Written and edited by Kelsey Spence – August 7, 2026

When you are writing or editing in British English (UK English) and are from the US or used to US English spelling, it can be incredibly easy to misspell a word that you don't realize is spelled differently in British English.

This is precisely why I created this blog post—to make it simple to search for the most commonly misspelled UK English words. You can utilize this post as a checklist when searching for words in an article, book, essay, or other written piece you're working on that uses British English spelling.

Words Ending in -ize and -yze End in -ise and -yse in British English Spelling

You can search for any words that end with -ize and -yze. In UK English, they instead end with -ise and -yse, respectively.

Here is a list of common words with this ending, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• analyze→ analyse

• realize → realise

• minimize → minimise

• organize → organise

• recognize → recognise

• emphasize → emphasise

• personalize → personalise

Words Ending in -er Can End in -re in British English Spelling

You can search for any words that end with -er. In UK English, some of these words instead end with -re.

Here is a list of common words with this ending, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• center → centre

• theater → theatre

• somber → sombre

• liter → litre

• fiber → fibre

• caliber → calibre

Words Ending in -se Can End in -ce in British English Spelling

You can search for any words that end with -se. In UK English, some of these words instead end with -ce. (Keep in mind that the opposite is true for "pratice," which is spelled "practise" in British English.)

Here is a list of common words with this ending, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• license → licence

• defense → defence

• offense → offence

• pretense → pretence

Words Ending in -or Can End in -our in British English Spelling

You can search for any words that end with -or. In UK English, some of these words instead end with -our.

Here is a list of common words with this ending, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• honor → honour

• neighbor → neighbour

• behavior → behaviour

• color → colour

• flavor → flavour

• humor → humour

• harbor → habour

Single L to Double

You can search for any words that would end in the letter L if it were singular in the present tense. This will make more sense once you look at the examples below. Many such words are spelled with a double L in UK English. The word "jewelry" is also spelled with a double L (and a second E) in British English: jewellery.

Here is a list of common words that follow this rule, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• traveled → travelled

• canceling → cancelling

• fueled → fuelled

• labeled → labelled

• leveling → levelling

Greek and Latin Terms

Many words with Greek and Latin roots retain their original spelling in UK English.

Here is a list of such words, showing the US English spelling and the spelling in British English:

• maneuver → manoeuvre

• pediatrics → paediatrics

• esophagus → oesophagus

• orthopedics → orthopaedics

• fetus → foetus

• archeology → archaeology

• medieval → mediaeval

• encyclopedia → encyclopaedia

• diarrhea → diarrhoea

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