Vocabulary Differences Between American and British English Part 2

M - Z

1. maths (BrE) — math (AmE)
   In both countries, this is the abbreviation for “mathematics.” British people wonder why Americans don’t include the “s,” and Americans wonder why British people do include the “s.” It’s one of the mysteries of the universe.

2. mobile phone (BrE) — cell phone (AmE)
   This is the name for a small portable phone, like an iPhone or an older “flip phone.” In the US you may hear people say “mobile phone,” but it’s much more common to hear cellular phone or cell, since that’s an abbreviation of “cellular.”

3. nappy (BrE) — diaper (AmE)
   This is the thing babies wear so that they don’t poop and pee all over the place.

Believe me, as a new father: You can call them diapers or nappies, but it’s still not fun to change them.

1. pants (BrE) — underwear/panties (AmE)
   This is a big difference. In Britain, pants describes underwear, usually women’s underwear, which is small and tight.

In the US, the same things would be called underwear in general. Most women’s underwear can also be called panties.

If you want to talk about a long piece of clothing that covers your legs, take a look at the next set of words.

1. trousers (BrE) — pants/slacks (AmE)
   These words describe a piece of clothing that covers your legs. Trousers in the UK and pants in the US are general terms. Slacks in the US describes pants that are little more formal.

The word “trousers” is also sometimes used in the United States, but not as commonly, and it’s usually used to describe more formal pants.

1. pavement (BrE) — sidewalk (AmE)
   This is the name of the path where people can walk, between the street and the buildings.

In the US, pavement is a road or surface that’s covered in asphalt or concrete (in other words, the road is paved, and it’s not a dirt road).

1. petrol (BrE) — gasoline (AmE)
   This is the name for the fuel that most cars use. So you can fill up your car’s tank at a petrol station in the UK or a gas station in the US.

Also, gas is an abbreviation for “gasoline” in the US, but it’s also generic name for other types of gas, such as natural gas. Gas can also describe a state of matter in chemistry; the other forms are liquid and solid.

1. post (BrE) — mail (AmE)
   This is a word for letters that are hand delivered. You’ll also see these in related words, such as postbox/mailbox (where you receive the post/mail) or postal/mail carrier (the person who delivers the post/mail).

2. pram (BrE) — stroller (AmE)
   This is the name for a small (but expensive!) chair on wheels that you push around to transport a baby.

3. queue (BrE) — line (AmE)
   This describes a group of people that form a line to wait for a service or to enter a place. Note that the British word queue is pronounced the same as the letter “q,” so the letters “ueue” are silent here.

You can also combine this into phrasal verbs like queue up or line up if you want people to form an orderly line.

1. to ring (BrE) — to call (AmE)
   Most of the words on this list are nouns, but this is a verb. Both mean to use the telephone to contact someone. So in the US, you’d say, “I’m going to call my mom,” but in the UK it would be, “I’m going to ring my mom.”

2. rubber (BrE) — eraser (AmE)
   This is a small object that you rub on paper to remove pencil marks or mistakes.

Note that the word “rubber” is also common in the US, but there it describes the material (like what you use to make car tires). The word “rubber” is also a slang word for a condom in the US, so be careful!

1. sweet(s) (BrE) — candy (AmE)
   This is a generic word for treats that have a lot of sugar. For example, you could say, “I’m going to the candy store” in the US. A similar phrase in the UK would be, “I’m going to the sweet shop.”

2. toilet/loo (BrE) — bathroom/restroom (AmE)
   This describes a room that has at least a toilet. This room is commonly (and informally) called a loo in the UK. The British also use the word “bathroom,” but generally only in private houses, where there is an actual bathtub or shower.

In the US, the word “bathroom” is used for public and private toilets. But restroom is usually only used for public toilets. (So if you’re at a friend’s house, you’d probably ask to use the bathroom, not the restroom.)

1. trainers (BrE) — sneakers/tennis shoes (AmE)
   These are terms to describe athletic shoes.

In the UK, tennis shoes can also be used to describes shoes you wear to play tennis. In the US, tennis shoes can be a generic term for most athletic shoes.

In the US, most athletic or informal shoes can be called sneakers. The word “trainer” in the US usually describes a person who helps you at the gym.

1. underground/”the Tube” (BrE) — subway (AmE)
   These words describe the transportation system of trains in underground tunnels. Many different cities have subways or underground systems, so they also have informal words to describe them (the subway system in Washington, D.C. is called the “Metro,” for example).

2. wardrobe (BrE) — closet (AmE)
   This is the name for the piece of furniture where you can store your clothes. It usually has a part where you can hang clothes, so it’s different from a dresser, which usually just has drawers.

This word is also known to many Americans because of its use in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

1. Zed (BrE) — Zee (AmE)
   This final one may technically be a pronunciation difference, since these are two ways to pronounce the letter “z.” In British English, they say “zed,” which rhymes with “head.” In American English, they pronounce the same letter as “zee,” which rhymes with “sea.”