Organize is the American and Canadian spelling of the verb meaning to put together or to arrange systematically. Organise is the preferred spelling outside North America. Other than the spelling, there is no difference between the words. [Read more...]
Licorice vs. liquorice
For the distinctively flavored Mediterranean plant, its root, and candies and confections made from the root, North American English speakers use licorice. In Ireland and the U.K., liquorice is preferred. We find both spellings used about evenly in Australian and New Zealand publications. Other than the spelling, there is no difference between the words. [Read more...]
Lasagna vs. lasagne
For the flat, wide pasta and the dish made from such pasta, North American English speakers use lasagna. English speakers from outside North America use lasagne. Other than the spelling, there is no difference between the words in English. [Read more...]
Peal vs. peel
A peal (1) a ringing of a set of bells, (2) a loud burst of noise. A peel is the skin or rind of a fruit or vegetable. So bananas and oranges have peels, and laughter and thunder sometimes come in peals. [Read more...]
Decent vs. descent
Decent is an adjective meaning (1) polite and respectable, and (2) passable or adequate. Descent is a noun meaning (1) an act or instance of going downward, (2) a way down, (3) hereditary lineage, and (4) a sudden visit or attack. [Read more...]
Dependant vs. dependent
In American English, dependent is (1) an adjective meaning contingent on another, and (2) a noun meaning a person who is financially supported by someone else. Dependant is a rare variant spelling with no definitions of its own. [Read more...]
Crier vs. cryer
Crier is the preferred spelling of the noun meaning (1) one who cries, and (2) a person who makes announcements in public places. This is the case in all modern varieties of English. You might see cryer in old books,1 but this spelling was always less common than crier and has gradually disappeared from the language.2 [Read more...]
Wack vs. whack
The word meaning very bad or of dubious quality is wack, with no h. Your spell-check may disapprove of wack, but the word has been in English a quarter of a century, and it has another sense—an eccentric or crazy person—that is even older, so spell-check is wrong again. [Read more...]
Draft vs. draught
In British English, draught is used primarily for (1) a current of air, (2) an animal that pulls loads, (3) a load pulled by such an animal, (4) a portion of liquid, and (5) the act of drawing liquid into the mouth. And British writers use draft for (1) a written plan or preliminary sketch, (2) an order for a bank to pay money, (3) conscription into the military, and (4) the act of selecting someone for a role. [Read more...]
Dis vs. diss
The American slang word meaning (1) to disrespect, abuse, or insult, and (2) an act or instance of disrespect, abuse or insult was originally spelled dis after it emerged in the late 1980s. But diss has gained ground as an alternative spelling, and the two are now battling for ascendancy. [Read more...]
Adviser vs. advisor
Adviser and advisor are both accepted spellings of the noun meaning one who advises or counsels. There is no difference between them. But adviser, the older version, is listed as the primary spelling in most dictionaries, and it is about five times as common as advisor in current news publications from throughout the English-speaking world. [Read more...]
Cosy vs. cozy
In American English, cozy is the standard spelling of the word meaning, mainly, (1) comfortable and warm, and (2) to make oneself comfortable and warm.1 Outside North America, the word is spelled cosy. Both spellings are used in Canada, though cozy is more common in current news sources. [Read more...]
Cooperate vs. co-operate
For the verb meaning to work or act together, American writers use the unhyphenated cooperate. Outside the U.S., co-operate is preferred. [Read more...]
A cappella
In Italian, the phrase a cappella means, literally, in the manner of chapel. Whoever coined this phrase presumably attended the type of church service in which people sing without musical accompaniment. In any case, without musical accompaniment is the definition of this loan phrase in English. [Read more...]
Soup up
Soup up is the phrasal verb meaning to modify something to increase its power, efficiency, or impressiveness. Soop up is a common misspelling. Your spellcheck may tell you the inflected forms souped up and souping up are incorrect, but spellcheck is often wrong. Souped up and souping up are fine. [Read more...]