American - British English

American English	British English
A
aisle	gangway
antenna, aerial	aerial (TV, radio)
anyplace, anywhere	anywhere
apartment (flat: singled floored apartments)	flat
appetizer	entrée
to argue	to quarrel
argument	quarrel, row
B
baggage, luggage	luggage
baked potato	jacket potato
baking pan	baking tin
balcony	dress circle
ball-point pen	biro
band-aid	elastoplast
bangs	fringe
bar	pub
barber shop (men)	hairdresser
to bathe	to bath
bathrobe	dressing gown
bathroom (in private rooms)/toilet	bathroom
bathroom, rest room	toilet, loo
bathtub	bath
battery	accumulator
beauty shop	hairdresser
bedspread	duvet
beer	lager

bell pepper		pepper
bill		note
billfold		wallet
bleachers		terraces
blender		mixer
blender		liquidizer
bobsled		bobsleigh
boiled egg		hard cooked egg
bookstore		bookshop
to broil		to grill
brown bread		wholemeal bread
buck		quid
buddy		mate
bug		insect
bulletin board		notice board
busy		engaged
cab, taxi		taxi
to call		to ring
C
can	tin
candy store	sweet shop
carpet pad	underlay
cart	trolley
cash register	till
casket	coffin
catalog	catalogue
cellular, cell	mobile (phone)
center	centre
check	cheque, bill
checkers	draughts
checking account	current account
checkroom	cloakroom
cigarette	fag
closet	cupboard, wardrobe
clothes dryer	tumble dryer
clothespin	clothes peg
color	colour
commercial	advertisement
congress	parliament
to connect sb.	to put sb. through
cookie	biscuit
corn	maize
costumes	fancy dress
cotton candy	candy floss
cozy	cosy
crib	cot (Baby)
crosswalk	zebra crossing
crosswalk	pedestrian crossing
D
a deck of cards		a pack of cards
detour		diversion
dialog		dialogue
diaper		nappy
dill pickle		pickled cucumber
directory assistance		directory enquiries
dish washing liquid		wash up liquid
doctor's office		doctor's surgery
downtown, center city		city centre
downtown		town centre
draft		draught
drain		plug hole
driver's license		driving licence
drugs, medicine		medicine
drugstore		chemist's shop
drunk driving		drink driving
duplex		semi-detached house
eggplant		aubergine
E
elementary school		primary school
elevator		lift
emergency room		casualty department
engine (fuel-burning devices)		engine
eraser		rubber
everyplace, everywhere		everywhere
Excuse me.		Sorry.
expiration date		expiry date

American English	British English
F
face cloth	flannel
fall, autumn	autumn
faucet	tap
favorite	favourite
fender	wing
field hockey	hockey
fields day	sports day
to fill out	to fill in
fire department	fire brigade
first floor	ground floor
fish-sticks	fish-fingers
flashlight	torch
flavor	flavour
flight attendant	air hostess
freeway	motorway
freight train	goods train
French fries	chips
from Monday to Friday from Monday through Friday (all of Friday is included)	from Monday to Friday
front desk	reception
frosting	icing
funeral director	undertaker
G
game	match
garbage	rubbish
garbage can	bin, dustbin
gas	petrol
gas pedal, accelerator	accelerator
gas station	filling station
gear shift	gear lever
generator	dynamo
German shepherd	alsatian
grade (school levels 1st - 12th) class (top 4 levels 9th - 12th = freshman, sophomore, junior, senior)	class, form
grade school	primary school
ground	earth
ground wire	earth wire
to guess	to suppose, to think
H
hairdresser (women)	hairdresser
ham	gammon
hamburger meat, ground beef	mince meat
harbor	harbour
hardware store	ironmonger
heavy cream	double cream
high school	secondary school, grammar school
highway	main road
hockey	ice-hockey
home, at home	at home
hood	bonnet
human resources department	personnel department
humor	humour
I
to inquire	to enquire
inquiry	enquiry
instalment plan	hire purchase
intermission	interval
intersection (city or country)	crossroads
interstate	motorway
inventory	stock
J
jail	prison
janitor	caretaker
jelly (no pieces in it)	jam
jewelery	jewellery
John Doe	Joe Bloggs
joint	roast
jump rope	skipping rope
American English		British English
K
kerosene/kerosine		paraffin
kilometer		kilometre
Kleenex		tissue
L
labor		labour
ladies' room		Ladies
ladybug		ladybird
laundry soap		washing up powder
law offices		chambers
lawyer		solicitor, barrister
laid off		redundant
leash		lead
legal holiday		bank holiday
letter opener		paper knife
license plate		number plate
life vest		life jacket
to line up		to queue
liter		litre
long distance bus		coach
lost and found		lost property
M
mail		post
mailbox		letterbox
mailman		postman
main street		high street
mashed potatoes		mashed potato
math		maths
Men's Room		Gents
mom		mum
motor (fuel-burning or electrical devices)		engine
motorcycle		motorbike
movie, film		film
movie theater		cinema
N
Native American		American Indian
nauseated		ill
neighbor		neighbour
newspaper store		newsagent's
newsstand		bookstall
nightstand		bedside table
notebook		exercise book
O
oatmeal		porridge
one-way ticket		single ticket
overpass		flyover
overtime		extra time

American English		British English
P
paddle		bat
pacifier		dummy
a package of cigarettes		a packet of cigarettes
panties		knickers
pants		trousers
paper towel		kitchen roll paper
parentheses		brackets
parka		anorak
parking garage		multi-storey car park
parking lot		car park
pavement		road surface
pay raise		pay rise
phone booth		call box, phone box
photoflash		flashlight
pin		badge
pitcher		jug
police officer		bobby
potato chips		crisps
powdered sugar		icing sugar
president (business)		managing director
prime rate		base rate
principal		headmaster, head teacher
program		programme
public school		state school
Q
quiz		test
quotation marks		inverted commas, quotation marks
R
railroad		railway
raincoat		mackintosh
raisin		sultana
regular		normal
to rent		to hire
report card		school report
reservation		booking
resume		curriculum vitae
to give s.b. a ride		to give s.b. a lift
roast		joint
rubber, condom		condom
rubbers		wellington boots
rummage sale		jumble sale
running shoes		trainers
S
salary cut		wage cut
sales clerk		shop assistant
Santa Claus		Father Christmas
schedule		timetable
second floor		first floor
semester		term
to set the table		to lay the table
shorts		pants, underpants
shot		injection, jab
sidewalk		pavement
silverware		cutlery
skillet		frying pan
sled		sledge
sneakers		trainers
soccer		football
social security number		national insurance number
station wagon		van
steering wheel		driving wheel
stingy		mean
stock		share
stop lights		traffic lights
store		shop
story		storey
stove		cooker
streetcar		tram
student		pupil
subway		underground, tube
superstore		store
suspenders		braces
sweater		cardigan
swimsuit		costume
T
tag		label
taxi stand		taxi rank
telephone operator		telephonist
theater		theatre
thread		cotton
thumbtack		drawing pin
tire		tyre
toothpick		cocktail stick
track		platform
track		tracks
traffic circle		roundabout
trailer		caravan
traveled		travelled
trench coat		duffle coat
truck		lorry
trunk		boot
turn signal		indicator
turtle		tortoise
turtle neck		polo neck
tux, tuxedo		dinner jacket
two weeks		fortnight
U
underpass	subway
undershirt	vest
unsweetened cocoa	cocoa powder
V
vacation	holiday
vaccum cleaner	hoover
VCR	video
vest	waistcoat
vocational school	technical college
W
wash up	to wash
windshield	windscreen
wrench	spanner
Y
yard	garden
Z
zip code	post code
zipper	zip