B ritish English vs American English

British English

American English

A

aerial (radio/TV)

antenna

American football

football

anorak

parka

articulated lorry

trailer truck/semi trailer

aubergine

eggplant

autumn

fall

B

bank holiday

legal holiday

bank note

bill

bap

hamburger bun

bat (ping pong)

paddle

bath

bathtub

bath (v.)

bathe

bathroom

bathroom/restroom/washroom

big dipper

roller coaster

bill

check (restaurant)

bill/account

account

billion = million million

billion = thousand million

biscuit (sweet)

cookie

black or white?(coffee)

with or without?

blackleg/scab

scab

black treacle

molasses

blind (window)

shade

block of flats

apartment house

block of flats

apartment building

blue jeans

dungarees/jeans

bomb (success)

bomb (disaster)

bonnet (car)

hood

book (v.)

make reservation

boot (car)

trunk

bootlace/shoelace

shoestring

bowler/hard hat

derby

braces

suspenders

break (school)

recess

briefs/underpants

shorts/jockey shorts

broad bean

lima bean

bureau de change

currency exchange

butter muslin/cheese cloth

cheese cloth

C

candyfloss

cotton candy

caravan

trailer

caretaker/porter

janitor

car park

parking lot

catapult

slingshot

cattle grid

Texas gate

centre (city/business)

downtown

central reservation

median strip/divider

chairman (business)

president

chemist

druggist

chemist’s shop

pharmacy/drugstore

chest of drawers

dresser/bureau

chips

French fries

cinema

movie house/theater

class/form (school)

grade

cloakroom

check room

cloakroom attendant

hat check girl

clothes peg

clothes pin

conscription

draft

contraceptive/condom

rubber

convoy

caravan

cooker

stove

corn flour

corn starch

corporation/local authority

city/municipal government

cot/crib

crib

cotton

thread

cotton reel

spool

cotton wool

cotton batting

courgette

zucchini

court shoe

pump

cream cracker

soda cracker

crisps

chips/potato chips

cul-de-sac

dead end

cupboard

closet

curtains

drapes

D

desiccated (coconut)

shredded

director (company)

manager

directory enquiries

information assistance

directory enquiries

directory assistance

district

precinct

diversion

detour

drain (indoors)

sewer pipe

draper

drygoods store

draught excluder

weather stripping

draughts

checkers

drawing pin

thumb tack

dressing-gown

bathrobe

dual carriageway

divided highway

dummy

pacifier

dungarees

overalls

dustbin/bin

garbage can/trash can

dynamo

generator

E

eiderdown

comforter

state agent

realtor

estate car

station wagon

F

fair (fun)

carnival

filling station / petrol station

gas station

film

movie

first floor

second floor

fish slice

spatula/egg lifter

fitted carpet

wall to wall carpet

flannel

wash cloth

flat

apartment

flex

electric cord/wire

fly-over

overpass

football/soccer

soccer

fortnight

two weeks

foyer

lobby/foyer

full stop (punctuation)

period

funny bone

crazy bone

G

gallery (theatre)

balcony

gangway

aisle

gaol

jail

garden

yard

gear lever

gear shift

giddy

dizzy

give a bell(to phone)

give a buzz

goods truck (railway)

freight truck

goose pimples

goose bumps

gramophone/record player

phonograph/record player

greenfingers

green thumb

grill (v.)

broil

guard (railway)

conductor

gym shoes/plimsolls

sneakers/tennis shoes

tennis shoes/trainers

sneakers/tennis shoes

H

hair grip/kirby grip

bobbie pin

handbag

purse/pocket book

hardware

housewares

headmaster/mistress

principal

hire purchase

installment plan

holiday

vacation

homely (=pleasant)

homely (=ugly)

hoover (n.)

vacuum cleaner

hoover (v.)

vacuum

housing estate

sub-division

I

ice/sorbet

sherbet

iced lolly

popsicle

icing sugar

powdered sugar

icing sugar

confectioner’s sugar

identification parade

line-up

immersion heater(electric)

water heater

interval

intermission

ironmonger

hardware store

J

jab (injection)

shot

joint (meat)

roast

jug

pitcher

jumper/sweater/pullover

sweater/pullover

K

kiosk/box (telephone)

telephone booth

kipper

smoked herring

knickers (girl’s)

underwear/panties

knock up (tennis)

warm up

knock up (call from sleep)

in American slang this means to get a woman pregnant

L

label

tag

larder

pantry

lavatory/toilet/w.c./loo

john/bathroom/washroom

lay-by

pull-off

leader (leading article in newspaper)

editorial

leader(1st violin in orchestra)

concert master

left luggage office

baggage room

let

lease/rent

level crossing (railway)

grade crossing

lift

elevator

limited (company)

incorporated

lodger

roomer

lorry

truck

lost property

lost and found

M

mackintosh

raincoat

made to measure

custom made

managing director/MD

general manager

marrow

squash

methylated spirits

denatured alcohol

mileometer

odometer

motorway

freeway/throughway

motorway

super highway

N

nappy

diaper

neat (drink)

straight

net curtains

sheers/under drapes

newsagent

news dealer/news stand

nought

zero

noughts and crosses

tic-tac-toe

number plate

license plate

O

off license/wine merchant

liquor store

oven cloth/gloves

pot holder/oven mitt

overtake (vehicle)

pass

P

pack (of cards)

deck

packed lunch

sack lunch/bag lunch

panel beater

body shop

pants (boy’s underwear)

shorts/underwear

paraffin

kerosene

parcel

package

pavement/footpath

sidewalk

personal call

person-to-person call

petrol

gas/gasoline

pillar box/letter box

mail box

plaster/elastoplast

bandaid

point/power point/socket

outlet/socket

post

mail

postal code

zip code

postman

mailman/postman

postponement

raincheck

pram

baby carriage/baby buggy

prison

penitentiary

public convenience

bathroom/restroom/washroom

public school

private school

pudding

dessert

purse

change purse

pushchair

stroller

put down/entered(goods)

bought/charged

put through (telephone)

connect

Q

queue (n.)

line

queue (v.)

stand in line/line up

R

rasher (bacon)

slice

reception (hotel)

front desk

receptionist

desk clerk

return ticket

round trip ticket

reverse charges

call collect

reversing lights

back up lights

ring up/phone

call/phone

roof/hood (car)

top

roundabout (road)

traffic circle

rubber

eraser

rubbish

garbage/trash

S

saloon car

sedan

scribbling pad/block

scratch pad

sellotape

scotch tape

semi-detached

duplex

semolina

cream of wheat

shattered

exhausted

shop assistant

sales clerk/sales girl

sideboard

buffet

sideboards (hair)

sideburns

silencer (car)

muffler

single ticket

one way ticket

sitting room

living room

living room

living room

lounge

living room

drawing room

living room

skipping rope

jump rope

skirting board

baseboard

sledge/toboggan

sled

smalls (washing)

underwear

sofa

davenport/couch

solicitor

lawyer/attorney

sorbet

sherbet

spanner

monkey wrench

spirits (drink)

liquor

spring onion

scallion/green onion

staff (academic)

faculty

stalls (theatre)

orchestra seats

stand (for public office)

run

standard lamp

floor lamp

state school

public school

sellotape

adhesive tape

stone (fruit)

pit

sultana

raisin

surgery(doctor’s/dentist’s)

office

surgical spirit

rubbing alcohol

suspender belt

garter belt

suspenders

garters

swede

turnip/rutabaga

sweet corn

corn

sweet shop/confectioner

candy store

sweets/chocolate

candy

Swiss roll

jelly roll

T

tadpole

pollywog

tap

faucet

teat (baby’s bottle)

nipple

tea trolley

tea cart

telegram

wire

telephone box

phone booth

term academic (3 in a year)

semester(2 in a year)

tights

pantyhose

time-table

schedule

tin

can

tip (n. and v.)

dump

torch

flashlight

traffic lights

stop lights

traffic lights

traffic signals

traffic lights

stop signals

trousers

pants/slacks

truncheon (police)

night stick

trunk call/long distance

long distance call

tube/underground

subway

turnover

sales/revenue

turn-ups (trousers)

cuffs (pants)

U

undergraduates:

undergraduates:

- 1st year

- freshman

- 2nd year

- sophomore

- 3rd year

- junior

- 4th year

- senior

unit trust

mutual fund