Of all the differences between English in Britain and the United States, the most interesting and important are words which are used in both places but with different (and sometimes even opposite) meanings. This list gives 100 such words and expressions arranged A to Z, from well-known ones such as “pants” to less famous ones such as “boob tube”.
- appropriation – misappropriating – dispensing money
- (British) Asian/ Asian (American) – someone whose family comes from South Asia – someone whose family comes from East Asia
- athlete – someone who does track and field events – a sportsman (generally)
- bathroom – the place with a bath or shower – the place with a toilet
- bill – what you get at the end of your meal in a restaurant that says how much you should pay (“the check” in American English) – paper money, as in “a five dollar bill” (“banknote” or “note” in British English)
- biscuit – as in “chocolate biscuit” (“cookie” in American English) – a kind of savoury scone (as in “chicken and biscuits”)
- blow off – fart – blow someone off (similar to “stand someone up” in British English)
- boob tube – a strapless top (“tube top” in American English) – the television
- brackets – round brackets – square brackets
- (legal) brief – documents given to a barrister about what to do in court – documents given to a court to show the arguments of one side
- bum – bottom/ rear end/ buttocks – homeless person/ tramp
- buzzard – a medium-sized hawk – a kind of vulture
- campsite – an area for people to camp in (“campground” in American English) – a place for a single tent (“pitch” in British English)
- casualty – someone who has been injured (as in “casualty department”) – someone who has been killed (as in “casualty figures”)
- chips – thick-cut hot fried potato, as in “fish and chips” (“French fries” or “fries” in American English) – thin, crispy snacks eaten cold from a bag, as in “potato chips” and “nacho chips” (“crisps” in British English)
- cider – an alcoholic drink that is similar to beer but made from apples (“hard cider” in American English) – a soft drink made from apples
- (police) commissioner – professional head of the police (“chief of police” in American English) – person in charge of supervising the police force
- commonwealth/ (The) Commonwealth – an association of mainly ex-British colonies/ the period after between the death of King Charles I in 1649 to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 – a way of referring to American states and territories such as Puerto Rico
- constable – police officer – official who serves summonses (“bailiff” or “sheriff’s officer” in British English)
- cooker – stove in the kitchen for cooking (“range” in American English) – a person who cooks (“cook” in British English)
- corn(field) – wheat – maize (often called “sweetcorn” in British English)
- cot – a baby’s bed (“crib” in American English) – a foldable extra bed (like a camp bed)
- cracker – Xmas cracker – yokel
- DC – Detective Constable (as in “DC Smith”) – District of Columbia (as in “Washington DC”)
- dormitory – a room for more many people, often with bunk beds, for example in a boarding school – a place where university students live (“halls” or “student halls” in British English)
- entrée – the first course/ starter – the main course
- faculty – the largest organisation of a university, often consisting of several departments – professors and similar staff (“academic staff” in British English)
- fag – cigarette – a very non-PC insult for a homosexual
- faggot – a kind of meatball – a non-PC insult for homosexuals
- fancy dress – dressing up in a costume, e.g. for Halloween – formal wear such as a ball gown
- fanny – vagina/ vulva – buttocks (as in “fanny pack”)
- first degree – first degree burn – first degree murder
- first floor – the first floor above the ground (upstairs from the ground floor, “second floor” in American English) – the floor at ground level (“ground floor” in British English)
- flapjack – a sweet snack mainly made of oats (like a “granola bar”) – pancake
- football – footie/ soccer – American football
- gas – natural gas – gasoline (“petrol” in British English)
- go potty – go crazy – go to toilet (for a baby)
- to graduate – successfully finish a university first degree/ bachelor’s degree – successfully finish any academic level, e.g. “graduate from high school” (“finish” in British English)
- grill – cook under heat (“broil” in American English) – cook on a hotplate/ barbecue
- gym – gymnasium, the place where sports are done, including in school – gym class (“PE class” in British English)
- hamper – a large basket for food, as in “picnic hamper” – a laundry basket
- hockey – field hockey, played on grass – ice hockey
- homely – cosy (place) – plain or ugly
- hood – the top of a convertible car – the cover of the engine (“bonnet” in British English)
- hooker – a position in rugby – slang for a prostitute
- jelly – a wobbly dessert, as in “jelly and ice cream” (“Jell-O” in American English) – a kind of jam without solid lumps of fruit in it (as in “peanut butter and jelly sandwich”)
- jock – slang for a Scotsman – slang for an athlete
- jumper – sweater/ pullover – a kind of knitted dress
- knock up – get pregnant – wake someone up by knocking on their door
- mad – crazy – angry
- mean – miserly/ the opposite of generous – unkind/ nasty
- medic – doctor/ internist – EMT/ paramedic/ military corpsman
- mortuary – place for dead bodies (“morgue” in the US) – funeral home/ funeral parlour
- nappy – kind of underpants for babies (“diaper” in British English) – an insulting word about Afro hair
- nervy – nervous/ jumpy – cheeky
- outside lane – the lane nearest the opposite side of the road, often used by faster cars (“inside lane” in American English) – the lane near the edge of the street, often used by slower vehicles (“inside lane” in British English)
- pantomime – a kind of play/ musical, that is often based on fairy tales and played at Xmas (often shortened to “panto”) – a performance without speech (“mime” in British English)
- pants – underpants – long pants (“trousers” in British English)
- parentheses – brackets generally (round brackets, square brackets, etc) – round brackets
- pavement – the part by the side of the road where people walk (“sidewalk” in American English) – the material that makes a road
- penny – a hundredth of a pound – a cent
- pissed – drunk – annoyed (“pissed off” in British English)
- prep school – a private school that prepares students to secondary school – a private school that prepares students for university
- professor – the very top members of the academic staff of a university – all lecturers at a university
- prom – music performance, as in “The Proms” – dance/ ball, especially at schools
- public school – an old and usually high status private school (historically, the first schools which were open to the paying public) – a school funded by the (local and/ or national) government (“state school” in British English)
- pudding – dessert generally, or a hot, heavy dessert similar to Xmas pudding – a kind of custard dessert, similar to crème caramel
- purse – a small and/ or woman’s wallet – a handbag or shoulder bag
- rail depot – a place where trains are parked – a rail terminal
- rider – a person riding a bicycle, motorbike, horse, etc – a person travelling on a train, bus, etc (“passenger” in British English)
- robin – a small bird with a red breast – a medium-sized bird with a red breast
- roommate – someone sharing the same bedroom – someone sharing the same house/ apartment (“housemate” or “flatmate” in British English)
- a rubber – an eraser – a condom
- saloon – part of a pub – a Western-style bar
- semester – half an academic year – between a quarter and a half of an academic year, depending on how the academic year is split (“term” in British English)
- semi – semi-detached house (“duplex” in American English) – semi-trailer truck (“articulated lorry” in British English)
- sherbet – a powdered sweet which fizzes a little on your tongue – a type of frozen dessert, like ice cream but with less or no milk (“sorbet” in British English)
- silverware – trophies won by sports teams – things you eat with (“cutlery” in British English)
- sprouts – Brussels sprouts – alfalfa sprouts
- squash – a kind of cordial that needs to be watered down to be drunk – a kind of vegetable similar to a pumpkin (similar to a British “marrow”)
- state school – a school funded by the government (“public school” in American English) – a school funded by the state (rather than the national government or a more local area)
- strike – hit the ball – miss (in baseball)
- subway – a pedestrian underpass – underground railway
- a surgery – a doctor’s office, like a clinic – an operating theatre
- suspenders – straps to hold up stockings (“garters” in American English) – straps to hold up trousers (“braces” in British English)
- sweets – small sugary snacks (“candy” in American English) – dessert/ sweet things generally, such as cakes
- tank top – sweater without sleeves – sleeveless T shirt
- The Times – The Times (often called “The London Times” in the US) – The New York Times
- tick someone off – tell someone off – irritate someone
- tights – nylons (“pantyhose” in American English) – skin-tight trousers (“leggings” in British English) or one-piece trousers and top (“unitard” in British English)
- tosser – idiot/ wanker – someone who likes to throw things away, the opposite of “hoarder”
- trailer – something that goes behind car or bicycle, usually to carry extra luggage – similar, but also including small places where people can stay (“caravan” in British English)
- trolley – shopping trolley – a kind of train in the street (“tram” in British English)
- trooper – private in the army – state police officer
- tuition – teaching, especially by a (private) tutor – money paid to study (“tuition fees” in British English)
- underpass – a street underground, often under another street – a tunnel for pedestrians under a street (“subway” in British English)
- vest – underwear worn under your shirt (“undershirt” in American English) – part of a three-piece suit, worn under your jacket (“waistcoat” in British English)
- wash up – do the dishes – wash your hands (before dinner)
- white spirit – a kind of alcohol used for cleaning, as a paint thinner, etc (“turpentine” in American English) – a kind of illegally distilled alcohol for drinking
- Yankee – someone from the United States (usually shortened to “Yank”) – someone from New England or the North-eastern United States more generally