List of British English words not used in American English
List of British English words not used in American English
- See also main article: American and British English differences
| British | American |
| advocate | lawyer (distinction in Scots law) |
| aerial | antenna; interchangeable in American English |
| arse* | ass* (buttocks) |
| barrister | lawyer (distinction in English law) |
| black pudding | blood sausage |
| "bird" (woman) | "chick" |
| blinkers | blinders |
| "bloody"*(for example, "This bloody car won't start.") | "damned", poss. contraction of blasphemy "by Our Lady". |
| bollocks* | "balls"* (testicles) |
| to "bonk"* | to have sexual intercourse |
| bonnet (of a car) | hood |
| boot (of a car) | trunk |
| braces | suspenders (means something else in Britain - see appropriate list) |
| buggery | sodomy |
| bum bag | fanny pack |
| candy floss | cotton candy |
| concession | discount |
| (potato) crisps | (potato) chips |
| crumpet | a porous griddle cake, eaten toasted with butter and jam |
| "crumpet"* | one or more attractive women. |
| current account | checking account |
| dinner jacket | tuxedo |
| "dosh" | money |
| draughts | checkers |
| dustbin | trash can |
| engaged tone | busy signal |
| ex-directory | unlisted (phone number) |
| fairy cake | cupcake |
| flat | apartment |
| fortnight | Two weeks. |
| "gooseberry" (third person who intrudes on an intimate situation) | "third wheel" |
| green fingers | green thumb |
| hosepipe | garden hose |
| knickers | panties |
| laundrette | laundromat |
| lift (noun) | elevator |
| lorry | truck (interchangeable in British English) |
| loudhailer | bullhorn |
| maths | math |
| MD (managing director) | CEO (Chief Executive Officer) |
| mobile (phone) | cell phone |
| motorway | freeway |
| nappy | diaper |
| oilseed rape | rapeseed oil, canola |
| petrol | gasoline |
| "plonker" | fool |
| "ponce" (derogatory term, usually for a male) | pimp (mainly northern English usage), fop, or homosexual (non-complimentary). Can also be used to refer to someone with airs and graces. |
| to "ponce up" | to improve the appearance of something or someone |
| to "ponce off" | to help oneself to something uninvited - e.g. mind if I ponce a fag off you? (i.e. helping myself to a cigarette - plenty of scope for misunderstanding there!) |
| poof/poofter* | "faggot" (homosexual, not complimentary) |
| pram | baby carriage, contraction of perambulator. |
| pudding | dessert, often stodgy, or a main course dish of a stodgy nature, e.g. steak and kidney pudding |
| queue | line (for waiting in) |
| "randy" | "horny" (interchangeable in British English) |
| ring someone | call someone (interchangeable in British English) |
| roundabout (in the road) | traffic circle; rotary. (Roundabout is used in some parts of the US, including on signs) |
| roundabout (fairground ride) | carousel |
| to rubbish | to verbally discredit. |
| scone | biscuit |
| settee | couch (interchangeable in British English) |
| to "slag off" | to speak in a depreciating way about someone or something |
| "snogging" | kissing, "making out" |
| solicitor | lawyer (distinct from an advocate in Scots Law or a barrister in English law) |
| spanner | wrench |
| sticking plaster, Elastoplast | bandage, Band-Aid |
| ta | thanks |
| "telly" | TV (also used in UK) |
| text (often written txt, only used since about 1998) | SMS |
| tights | pantyhose |
| "tosser"* | fool |
| "tosspot"* | fool |
| trapezium | trapezoid |
| tube | subway |
| underground (noun) | subway |
| waistcoat | vest |
| to wank* | to masturbate |
| "wanker"* | a silly fool, a useless person |
| whilst | while (see Words only used in British English in American and British English differences) |
*denotes vulgar expression
