Is It Honor or Honour? | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
- In American English, “honor” is correct.
- In British English, “honour” is standard.
Megan decided to honor/honour grandfather by continuing his philantrophic work.
The organization plans to honor/honour its employees with a special ceremony.
In academic settings, plagiarism is viewed as a breach of honor/honour.
Honoured or honored
- In British English, “honoured" is standard.
- In American English, "honored" is correct.
Leslie honoured/honored her late grandmother during her wedding ceremony.
I wish they had honoured/honored the students for their hard work.
Casper felt deeply honoured/honored to receive the prestigious award.
Honourable or honorable
- In British English, “honourable" is standard.
- In American English, "honorable" is correct.
Sanjay's honourable/honorable conduct earned him a lot of respect.
Serving the community in times of need is an honourable/honorable duty.
An honourable/honorable judge ensures that the rule of law is upheld.
Like the noun honor or honour, the adjective honorable or honourable is preceded by the indefinite article an instead of a, because the initial “h” is silent (it’s pronounced [on-ur]). When you don’t know whether to use a or an, sound out the word. If the first sound is a vowel, use an.
Exceptions: Honorific, honorarium, honorary
In Japan, the honorific “san” is used to show respect, like “Mr.” or “Mrs.” in English.
The talented musician was offered an honorarium to perform at the fundraising gala.
The organization recognized her as an honorary chairperson for her work.
Main differences between American and British English
Recommended language articles
Frequently asked questions about honor or honour
Is it maid of honour or honor?
Honor and honour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “honor,” so maid of honor is correct.
- In British English, you use “honour,” so maid of honour is standard.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as “behaviour or behavior,” “labor or labour,” “color or colour,” “favorite or favourite,” “favor or favour,” and “humor or humour.”
It's important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Is it your Honor or your Honour?
Honor and honour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use your Honor as a title of respect (e.g., to address a judge).
- In British English, you use your Honour instead.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as “behaviour or behavior,” “labor or labour,” “color or colour,” “favorite or favourite,” “favor or favour,” and “humor or humour.”
It's important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Is it request the honour or honor of your presence in wedding invitations?
Honor and honour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “we request the honor of your presence at our wedding.”
- In British English, you use “we request the honour of your presence at our wedding.”
The same difference applies to similar words, such as “behaviour or behavior,” “labor or labour,” “color or colour,” “favorite or favourite,” “favor or favour,” and “humor or humour.”
It's important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.