Cosy or Cozy | Spelling, Definition & Examples
However you spell it, there is something comforting about the word cozy/cosy. How it is spelled depends on what geographical audience you are writing for.
- In American English, the correct spelling is cozy, and this is also true for India, most Caribbean varieties, the Philippines, and Canada.
- In British English it is spelled cosy, and this holds true for Ireland and the Antipodean variants of English.
Some people love the cozy/cosy feel of being inside when it’s wet and cold outside.
Looking through the frosted glass, shivering with the bitter cold, Sylvie thought that the warm fireside looked cozy/cosy and inviting.
Cozy or cosy
Cozy/cosy is an adjective that describes something that is warm, comforting, and snug (e.g., “The ski lodge was warm and cozy/cosy”). It can also be used figuratively to describe a relationship between people or entities, often implying an unfairly exclusive connection (e.g., “The council and the contractors had a cozy/cosy relationship that meant both parties did well from public contracts”).
Cozy/cosy can also be a noun (e.g., “An egg cozy/cosy is the perfect way to keep your breakfast warm”) and a verb (e.g., “It was dispiriting to see local businesses cozy/cosy up to the mayoral candidates”).
In American English, the word is spelled with a “z” (i.e., “cozy”). In British English, the word is spelled with an “s” (i.e., “cosy”).
Under the old system, school inspectors sometimes developed cozy/cosy relationships with the schools, thus undermining the reliability of their assessments.
Veronika couldn’t decide if the knitted egg cozy/cosy designs were cute or kitsch.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Five important differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Theater or theatre
Meter or metre Liter or litre Saber or sabre Fiber or fibre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Realize or realise
Organize or organise Minimize or minimise Finalize or finalise |
| In British English, these words end in -yse or -ise. | ||
| -ed vs -t | In American English, most verbs are regular and form their past tense with the suffix -ed. | Learned or learnt |
| In British English, some of these verbs are irregular and form their past tense with the suffix -t. | ||
| Single vs double consonant | In American English, many words are spelled with a single consonant. | Modeling or modelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. |
Frequently asked questions about cosy or cozy
- Is it coziest or cosiest?
-
It depends whether you are using American English or British English. The American English spelling of the superlative form of cozier is coziest, and in British English it is spelled cosiest.
This is related to the spelling of the root word cozy/cosy, meaning “warm, comforting, and snug.”
The QuillBot Grammar Checker has selectable language regions, so you can always be confident that you have spelled coziest/cosiest correctly.
- Is it cosier or cozier?
-
If you’re using American English spelling, then use cozier. For British English, then the comparative form of the adjective cosy is spelled cosier.
The root adjective is spelled cozy or cosy, depending on the variant of English. It’s spelled cozy in American English and cosy in British English. It means “warm, comforting, and snug.”
You can select your language region in the QuillBot Grammar Checker, so you can always be confident that you have spelled cozier/cosier correctly.
