About The Joy of English

British English to American English: Letter S

 

Sabre Saber
Saccharine Saccharin
Sailing boat Sailboat
Saleable Salable
Saleroom Salesroom
Sales assistant  Sales clerk
Saloon (car) Sedan
Saltcellar??? Saltshaker
Sanatorium Sanitarium
Sand martin (bird) Bank swallow (bird)
Sandpit Sandbox
Sandshoe = light shoe or type of sneaker
Sanitary towel Sanitary pad/ sanitary/Feminine napkin
Sanitise Sanitize
Saviour  Savior
Savour  Savor
Savoury Savoury
Scandalise Scandalize
Sceptic  Skeptic
Sceptical  Skeptical
Sceptically Skeptically
Scepticism Skepticism
Sceptre Scepter
Schedule Timetable

whichenglish @ twitter
Scimetar Scimeter
Scour Scour
Scone Biscuit
Scotch Fillet Sirloin (steak)
Screen wiper Windshield wiper
Scribble pad  Scratch pad
scrip = share certificate scrip = certificate of indebtedness in lieu of government currency
crolling Scroling
Scrutinise Scrutinize
Scupper scrap/ditch (plans)
Seafront Beachfront
See-saw teeter-totter
Secateurs Pruning shears
Secondary school High school
Second floor Third floor
Secondment =
Second thoughts Second thought
Secularise Secularize
Selfdrive =
Self-fulfilment Self-fulfillment
Self-fulfilling Self-fulfilling SAME
Sell-by date Expiration date
Sellotape ™ Scotch tape™
Selvedges selvage
Semibreve Whole note
Semi-detached  Duplex
Semi skimmed milk Low fat milk
Semiquaver Sixteenth Note
Semolina  Cream of wheat
Senior Lecturer = university lecturer ranking below a Reader
Sensationalise Sensationalize
Sensitise Sensitize
Sentimentalise Sentimentalize
Septendecillion BE n+102 zeros Septendecillion AE n+54 zeros
Septillion BE n+42 zeros Septillion AE n+24 zeros
Sepulchre Sepulcher
Serialise Serialize
Service flat Self-contained apartment
Service flats  Apartment hotel
Service road Frontage road
Serviette  Napkin
Settee  Love seat
Sexdecillion BE n+72 zeros Sexdecillion AE n+39 zeros
Sextillion BE n+36 zeros Sextillion AE n+21 zeros
Sequestrate = to seize or confiscate (sequestered)
Share (~ in a company) Stake (~ in a company)
Shareholder Stockholder
Shares Stocks
Sheikh Sheik
Shoelace  Shoestring
Shooting = hunt wild animals Hunting
Shop assistant  Sales clerk
Shop (small) Store (small/large)
Shopping centre  Mall
Shorthand Stenography
Short tonne Tonne = 2000lb
Show Fair
Sick/ill = poor health Sick = poor health
(To be) sick = throw up, vomit
Signalled  Signaled
Signaller Signaler
Signalling  Signaling
Silencer (car) Muffler (car)

whichenglish @ twitter
Simnell = food
Silver foil Tinfoil
Silverside = a rump of roast beef
Silverware Cutlery
Singeing Singeing
Single (ticket)  One way (ticket)
Singlet  undershirt
Singleton/Single Single person
Sitting room Living room
Sirloin steak Porterhouse steak
Sizeable Sizable
Skilful  Skillful
Skilfully Skillfully
Skilfulness Skillfulness
Skillet, frying-pan Fry pan
Skimmed milk Skim milk
Skint (infml.) Broke
Skip DumpsterTM
Skipping rope  Jump rope
Skirting board  Baseboard
Skittle (bowling) Pin
Slavonic Slavic
Sledge/toboggan  Sled
Sleeper (railway) Cross-tie, tie
Sleeping car  Sleeper
Sleevelink Cufflink
Slip carriage =
Slip road ramp, Off-ramp, exit ramp
Slowcoach Slowpoke
Smart/well dressed Well dressed
Smelt or smelled  Smelled
Smoulder Smolder
Snigger Snicker
Snivelled Sniveled
Snivelling Sniveling
Snog (v.) Make out
Snowplough Snowplow
Snr. Sr.
Socialise Socialize
Social anthropology Cultural anthropology

whichenglish @ twitter
Socket  Jack
Sock suspender =
Sodomise Sodomize
Solicitor Lawyer
Soliloquise Soliloquize
Sofa  Couch
Sofa-bed Hideaway
Soft drink Soda
Solicitor  Lawyer/attorney
Sombre Somber
Sorbet  Sherbet
Sour Sour
Southwards Southward
Spanner  (Monkey) wrench
Sparking plugs Sparkplugs
Spate Downpour
Speeded (up) Sped (up)
Specialising (in) Specialised (in)
Specialise Specialize
Specialist equipment Specialized equipment
Specialities Specialties
Speciality  Specialty
Spectacles Eyeglasses
Spectre Specter
Spell, Spelt, Spelt Spell, Spelled, Spelled
Splendour Splendor
Spilt Spilled
Spiralling Spiraling
Spirit level Carpenter’s level
Spirits  Liquor
Spiritualise Spiritualize
Spit, Spat, Spat Spit, Spit, Spit
Spoilt Spoiled
Spring onion  Scallion
Spring roll Egg roll
Square brackets Brackets
Stabilise Stabilize
Stabilisers (bike) Training wheels
Stalls Orchestra
Staff (academic) Faculty
Stand for office/election  Run for office/election
Standardise Standardize
Standardisation Standardization
Stands Bleachers
Starter Appetizer
Stationer’s Stationary store (not common)
State school  Public school
Sterilise Sterilize
STIs STDs
Stigmatise Stigmatize
Stock cube Bouillion cube
Stocking filler Stocking stuffer

whichenglish @ twitter
Stockist =
Stone Rock
Stone (fruit)  Pit (fruit)
Stopcock??? valve
Store (larger shop) Store
Storey  Story
Storeyed Story
Storeys Stories
Straight away Right away (straightaway)
Stream Creek
Streat lamp Street light
Stroke (/) Slash (/)
Stroppy Irritable/easily offended
Stupor Stupor
Stylise Stylize
Sub edit Copy edit
Sub-editor Copyeditor/copy reader
Subsidise Subsidize
Succour Succor
Sulphate Sulfate
Sulphide Sulfide
Sulphites sulfites
Sulphur  Sulfur
Sultana  Raisin
Summarise Summarize
Summer time Daylight saving
Summons Citation
Sump  Oil pan
Sunblock/Suncream Sunscreen
Supremo = person of the highest skill/power
Surgery  Medical office, Doctor’s office
Surgery (doctor’s/dentist’s ~) Office/practice (doctor’s/dentist’s ~)
Surgical spirit  Rubbing alcohol
Surname Last name
Survey = to determine structural condition of a building
Suspender belt  Garter belt
Suspenders  Garters

whichenglish @ twitter
Symbolise Symbolize
Sympathise Sympathize
Synchronise Synchronize
Synthesise Synthesize
Syphon Siphon
Swap Trade
Swear Curse
Swede  Turnip/rutabaga
Sweet corn (kernels) Corn (kernels)
Sweet shop/confectioner  Candy store
Sweets Candy
Swing door Swinging door
Swingeing = huge
Swiss roll/jam roll  Jelly roll

 

Have I missed anything? Send in your American/British differences now.

Got any questions?