Is It Honor or Honour? | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Honor and honour are two ways of spelling the same noun, which means “great respect” or “privilege.” It can also be used as a verb to mean “keep an agreement” or “regard with great respect.” The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In American English, “honor” is correct.
- In British English, “honour” is standard.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Meghan decided to honor/honour her grandfather’s legacy by continuing his philanthropic work.
The organization plans to honor/honour its employees with a special recognition ceremony.
Honoured or honored
The same spelling difference applies to the past tense form honoured or honored.
- In British English, “honoured” is standard.
- In American English, “honored” is correct.
I wish they had honoured/honored the students for their hard work.
Casper felt deeply honoured/honored to receive the prestigious award for his contribution to science.
Honourable or honorable
The spelling difference also applies to the related adjective honourable or honorable, meaning “creditable” or “worthy.”
- In British English, “honourable” is standard.
- In American English, “honorable” is correct.
Serving the community in times of need is an honourable/honorable duty for first responders.
An honourable/honorable judge ensures that the rule of law is upheld with impartiality and integrity.
Exceptions: Honorific, honorarium, honorary
For most related words, the spelling difference between American and British English carries over. But this is not the case for the less commonly used words “honorific,” “honorarium,” and “honorary.” The “u” is never added to these words.
The talented musician was offered an honorarium to perform at the fundraising gala.
The organization recognized her as an honorary chairperson for her work in raising awareness of the cause.
Main differences between American and British English
American and British English are very similar, but there are a few main differences in spelling. Some differences are:
| Difference | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| -or vs -our | In American English, many Latin-derived words end in -or. | Behavior or behaviour Color or colour Favor or favour Flavor or flavour Favorite or favourite Honor or honour Humor or humour Labor or labour Neighbor or neighbour |
| In British English, these same words end in -our. | ||
| -er vs -re | In American English, some French, Latin, or Greek words end in -er. | Center or centre Fiber or fibre Theater or theatre |
| In British English, these same words end in -re. | ||
| -ize vs -ise | In American English, many Greek-derived words end in -yze or -ize. | Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Realize or realise Recognize or recognise |
| 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. | Burned or burnt Dreamed or dreamt Kneeled or knelt Learned or learnt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt Spilled or spilt |
| 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. | Buses or busses Canceled or cancelled Counselor or counsellor Focused or focussed Labeled or labelled Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling |
| In British English, these same words are often spelled with a double consonant. | ||
| Dropping vs retaining the “e” | In American English, “e” is often dropped when forming a noun from a verb | Acknowledgment or acknowledgement Aging or ageing Judgment or judgement |
| In British English, the “e” is often retained. | ||
| Different verb and noun spellings | In American English, most words have identical verb and noun spellings. | License or licence Practice or practise |
| In British English, some words have different spellings for the verb and noun forms. | ||
| Other spelling differences | There are many other spelling differences between the two English variants. | Airplane or aeroplane Aluminum or aluminium Check or cheque Cozy or cosy Defense or defence Dependent or dependant Enrollment or enrolment Fulfil or fulfill Gray or grey Jewelry or jewellery Karat or carat Mold or mould Offense or offence Pajamas or pyjamas Program or programme Skeptical or sceptical Tire or tyre |
Other interesting articles
If you want to know more about job applications, research, or idioms, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
Job applications
Research
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 “behavior or behaviour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “favorite or favourite,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
A QuillBot grammar check can help ensure you’re using one type of English consistently.
- Is it request the honour or honor of your presence in wedding invitations?
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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 “behavior or behaviour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “favorite or favourite,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
It’s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
