100 words with different meanings in British and American English - UsingEnglish.com (2023)

Of all the differences between the English of Great Britain and that of the United States, the most interesting and important are the words that are used in both places, but with different (and sometimes even opposite) meanings. This list contains 100 such words and phrases, arranged from A to Z, from the most familiar like "pants" to the lesser known like "boob tube."

1. Appropriation - embezzlement - issue of money
2. (British) Asian/Asian (American) - someone whose family is from South Asia - someone whose family is from East Asia
3. Athlete - someone who runs athletics events - a sportsman (general)
4. Bathroom - the place with bathtub or shower - the place with toilet
5. bill: the thing you get at the end of your meal in a restaurant that says how much you have to pay ("the check" in US English): paper money, as in "a five-dollar bill" ("banknote" or "note" ) in British English)
6. biscuit - as in "chocolate biscuit" ("cookie" in American English) - a type of savory bun (as in "chicken and biscuits")
7. volar - fart - blow someone up (similar to "put someone on their feet" in British English)
8. Boob Tube – a strapless top (“tube top” in American English) – TV
9. Brackets - brackets - brackets
10. Report (legal): documents given to a lawyer about legal proceedings: documents presented to a court to show the arguments of a party
11. Bum - buttocks/buttocks - homeless person/vagrant
12. Buzzard - a medium-sized hawk - a type of vulture
13. campsite – an area where people can camp (“campground” in American English) – a place for a single tent (“pitch” in British English)
14. Accident - someone who was injured (as in "accident department") - someone who died (as in "accident numbers")
15. French fries: hot, thickly sliced ​​potato chips, as in "fish and chips" ("fries" in American English): thin, crispy snacks eaten cold from a bag, as in "chips" and "Nacho fries." ("chips" in British English)
16. Cider – an alcoholic beverage similar to beer but made from apples ("hard cider" in American English) – a soft drink made from apples
17. (Police) Commissioner - professional police chief ("Chief of Police" in American English) - person in charge of supervising police forces
18. Commonwealth/ (The) Commonwealth – a federation primarily of former British colonies/ the subsequent period between the death of King Charles I in 1649 and the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 – a way of reaching out to US states and territories such as Puerto Rico
19. Constable - Constable - officer who delivers summons ("Bailiff" or "Sheriff's Officer" in British English)
20. cook - stove in the kitchen for cooking ("range" in American English) - a person who cooks ("cook" in British English)
21. maize (field) - wheat - mais (often called "sweet corn" in British English)
22. cot – a baby crib (“crib” in American English) – an extra fold-out bed (like a camp bed)
23. Cookies - Christmas cookies - Fool
24. DC - Detective Constable (as in "DC Smith") - District of Columbia (as in "Washington DC")
25. Dormitory - a room for several people, often with bunk beds, for example in a boarding school - a place where university students live ("corridors" or "student corridors" in British English)
26. Appetizer – the first course / appetizer – the main course
27. Faculty – The largest organization of a university, often made up of several departments: professors and similar staff (“academic staff” in British English)
28. Fagot - cigarette - a very uncharacteristic insult for a homosexual
29. Bassoon - a kind of meatball - a non-PC insult to homosexuals
30. Costumes: dressing up in a costume, for example, for Halloween: formal wear such as a ball gown.
31. Fanny – vagina/vulva – buttocks (as in “fanny pack”)
32. first degree - first degree burning - first degree murder
33. first floor – up from the ground floor ("second floor" in American English) – the ground floor ("ground floor" in British English)
34. Flapjack – a sweet snack made mostly from oats (like a "granola bar") – pancakes
35. Soccer – Football/ Soccer – American Football
36. Gas - natural gas - gasoline ("petrol" in British English)
37. go to the bathroom - go crazy - go to the bathroom (for a baby)
38. graduate: successful completion of a bachelor's/bachelor's degree: successful completion of any academic level, e.g. "graduating from secondary school" ("finish" in British English)
39. grill - to cook under heat ("broil" in American English) - to cook on a griddle/grill
40. gymnasium – gymnasium, the place where sports are practiced, including at school – gym class (“physical education class” in British English)
41. Basket - a large basket for groceries, as in "picnic basket" - a laundry basket
42. Hockey - field hockey, played on field - ice hockey
43. homey - cozy (place) - simple or ugly
44. bonnet - the top of a convertible - the engine cover ("bonnet" in British English)
45. Hooker - a rugby position - slang for a hooker
46. jelly - a wobbly dessert, as in "jelly and ice cream" ("Jell-O" in American English) - a type of gelatin with no solid pieces of fruit inside (as in "peanut butter and jelly sandwich")
47. Jock - slang for a Scotsman - slang for an athlete
48. Sweater – sweater – a kind of knitted dress
49. touch - get pregnant - wake up someone knocking on your door
50. crazy - crazy - angry
51. bad - stingy / the opposite of generous - cruel / nasty
52. Paramedic - doctor / internist - paramedic / paramedic / paramedic
53. Tanatorio - Place for corpses ("morgue" in EE.UU.) - Funeral home/funeral home
54. Diaper – a type of baby underpants (“diaper” in British English) – an offensive word for afro hair.
55. nervous – nervous/ scared – cheeky
56. Outside lane: The lane closest to the opposite side of the road and usually used by faster cars ("inside lane" in American English): The lane next to the road that is usually used by slower cars ("inside lane" in British English) ). )
57. Pantomime - a type of play/musical, often based on fairy tales, played at Christmas (often abbreviated to "panto") - a performance without speech ("mime" in British English)
58. trousers - underpants - long trousers ("trousers" in British English)
59. Parentheses - parentheses in general (brackets, square brackets, etc.) - parentheses
60. Pavement: the part of the roadside that people walk on ("sidewalk" in American English): the material of which a road is made
61. Penny - one hundredth of a pound - one penny
62. pissed off - drunk - pissed off ("pissed off" in British English)
63. Prep School – a private school that prepares students for high school – a private school that prepares students for college
64. Professor - the senior academic staff of a university - all the professors of a university
65. Prom - Musical performance, as in "The Proms" - dancing/dancing, especially in schools
66. public school – an old and usually high-ranking private school (historically the first schools open to the paying public), a government (local and/or national) funded school ("government school" in British English)
67. Pudding: Dessert in general, or a hot, heavy dessert similar to Christmas Pudding: A type of pudding dessert, similar to crème caramel.
68. Purse - a small and/or women's bag - a handbag or shoulder bag
69. Bahnbetriebswerk - a place where trains are parked - a railway terminal
70. Rider - a person who rides a bicycle, motorcycle, horse, etc. - a person who travels on a train, bus, etc. ("passenger" in British English)
71. Robin - A small red-breasted bird - A medium-sized red-breasted bird
72. roommate - someone who shares the same room - someone who shares the same house/apartment ("housemate" or "flatmate" in British English)
73. a rubber – an eraser – a condom
74. Saloon - part of a pub - a western-style bar
75. Semester - half an academic year - between a quarter and a half academic year, depending on how the academic year is divided ("Term" in British English)
76. semi - semi-detached house ("duplex" in American English) - semi-trailer truck ("articulated truck" in British English)
77. Sorbet – a powdered confection that sizzles slightly on the tongue – a type of frozen dessert, like ice cream but with little or no milk ("sorbet" in British English)
78. Cutlery - Trophies won by sports teams - Things to eat ("cutlery" in British English)
79. Sprouts – brussels sprouts – alfalfa sprouts
80. Squash - a type of liquor that needs to be diluted with water to drink - a type of pumpkin-like vegetable (similar to a British "marrow")
81. Public school: a school funded by the government ("public school" in American English): a school funded by the state (rather than the national government or more local setting)
82. hit - hit the ball - miss (in baseball)
83. Metro – pedestrian underpass – metro
84. a practice - a doctor's office, like a clinic - an operating room
85. Suspenders: stocking straps ("garters" in American English) - trouser straps ("suspenders" in British English)
86. Sweets: small sugary snacks ("candy" in American English), desserts/sweets in general, such as B cake
87. Tank top - sleeveless jersey - tank top
88. The Times - The Times (en EE. UU. a menudo "The London Times" genannt) - The New York Times
89. bother someone - annoy someone - irritate someone
90. Tights - Nylon stockings ("pantyhose" in American English) - tight pants ("leggings" in English English) or pants and top of a piece ("unitard" in English English)
91. Tosser - idiot - someone who likes to throw things, the opposite of "hoarder"
92. Trailer: something that goes behind the car or bicycle, usually to carry extra luggage; similar but also small places where people can spend the night ("caravan" in British English)
93. trolley: a type of road train ("tram" in British English)
94. trooper - soldier in the army - state police officer
95. tuition fee - tuition, particularly by a (private) tutor - money paid for study ("tuition fee" in British English)
96. Underpass - an underground street, often under another street - a pedestrian tunnel under a street ("subway" in British English)
97. vest - underwear worn under a shirt ("shirt" in American English) - part of a three-piece suit worn under a jacket ("vest" in British English)
98. lavararse – lavararse – lavararse las manos (before dinner)
99. White spirit: a type of alcohol used for cleaning, thinning paint, etc. ("turpentine" in American English): a type of moonshine for drinking
100. Yankee – someone from the United States (usually abbreviated to "Yank") – someone from New England or the northeastern United States in general