Canadian Spelling Words
The comparison chart below lists words and their spellings according to country. To keep things simple, I’ve chosen only two countries: mine – Canada – and our neighbours south of the border – United States. Though Canadian words were originally influenced by England, our biggest influence now is the United States.
Over time, this list will grow. My need to create it stems from my desire to use Canadian spellings in my own writing. I want to be consistent and accurate in portraying our unique way of spelling, one that I was taught in school and has been handed down from my parents.
To read more about why I created this list, visit the blog post Which language do you write?
This page on the web is my reference, but I hope others find it helpful, too.
Word spellings in the English language have changed many times since humans began to write and it continues to change. In reality, there is no one spelling that is more right than others; one is simple more imbedded in a culture than the other in a given time frame. My list strives to capture the spelling language in which I was taught and had come to know as Canadian spelling.
Last updated January 6, 2012
|
Canada |
United States |
| aluminium | aluminum |
| amongst | among |
| archaeology | archeology |
| armour | armor |
| axe | ax |
| behaviour | behavior |
| burnt | burned |
| bussing, bussed | busing, bused |
| cancelled | canceled |
| catalogue | catalog |
| cheque | check |
| cigarette | cigarette |
| civilise | civilize |
| clamour | clamor |
| colour | color |
| cosy | cozy |
| counsellor | counselor |
| crenellated | crenelated |
| crenellation | crenelation |
| dependant | dependent |
| defence | defense |
| dialling | dialing |
| dialogue | dialog |
| doughnut | donut |
| draught (current of air) | draft |
| dreamt | dreamed |
| enquiry | inquiry |
| favour | favor |
| favourite | favorite |
| fibre | fiber |
| flavour | flavor |
| focussing, focussed | focusing, focused |
| grey | gray |
| harbour | harbor |
| honour | honor |
| honourary | honorary |
| humour | humor |
| jewellery | jewelry |
| kilometre | kilometer |
| labelling, labelled | labeling, labeled |
| labour | labor |
| learnt | learned |
| leapt | leaped |
| licence (noun) | license |
| license (very) | license |
| litre | liter |
| lustre | luster |
| manoeuvre | maneuver |
| marvellous | marvelous |
| meagre | meager |
| mediaeval | medieval |
| mesmerize | mezmorize |
| metre | meter |
| mould | mold |
| moulded | molded |
| moustache | mustache |
| neighbour | neighbor |
| odour | odor |
| offence | offense |
| panelled | paneled |
| pedlar | peddler |
| pleaded | pled |
| plough | plow |
| practise (verb) | practice |
| practice (noun) | practice |
| pyjamas | pajamas |
| realise | realize |
| recognise | recognize |
| rumour | rumor |
| sceptical | skeptical |
| skilful | skillful |
| smelt | smelled |
| snowplough | snowplow |
| spelt | spelled |
| spilt | spilled |
| spoilt | spoiled |
| storey | story |
| sulphur | sulfur |
| theatre | theater |
| towards | toward |
| traveller | traveler |
| travelling | traveling |
| tumour | tumor |
| valour | valor |
| vapour | vapor |
| vigour | vigor |
| woollen | woolen |
| yogourt | yogurt |
. . . more as time permits.
