Is It Humor or Humour? | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Humor and humour are two ways of spelling the noun meaning “the characteristic of being amusing” or “mood.” The word can also be used as a verb to mean “indulge.” The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In American English, “humor” is correct.
- In British English, “humour” is standard.
It’s important to choose one spelling and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
After a good night’s sleep, her humor/humour improved drastically.
The principal decided to humor/humour the student’s imaginative story even though it was quite far-fetched.
Other forms of humor or humour
The same spelling difference applies to the past tense form humoured or humored and the present participle or gerund humouring or humoring.
- In British English, “humoured” and “humouring” are standard.
- In American English, “humored” and “humoring” are correct.
Humouring/humoring the elderly gentleman, the nurse patiently listened to his tales of the past.
Humourous or humorous
Even though “humour” is the correct spelling in British English, the related adjective humorous is always spelled without a “u,” both in American and British English. “Humorous” is a synonym for “amusing.”
Elsie wrote a humorous poem that had everyone laughing.
The humorous plot twist caught the entire audience in the theater by surprise.
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 |
|
Behavior or behaviour Labor or labour Favor or favour Favorite or favourite Color or colour Honor or honour |
| -er vs -re |
|
Theater or theatre Center or centre Meter or metre Liter or litre Saber or sabre Fiber or fibre |
| -ize vs -ise |
|
Realize or realise Recognize or recognise Analyze or analyse Organization or organisation Minimize or minimise Finalize or finalise |
| -ed vs -t |
|
Learned or learnt Burned or burnt Kneeled or knelt Dreamed or dreamt Smelled or smelt Spelled or spelt |
| Single vs double consonant |
|
Modeling or modelling Traveling or travelling Canceled or cancelled Labeled or labelled Buses or busses Focused or focussed |
Frequently asked questions about humor or humour
- Is it humor or humour in Australia?
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Humor and humour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “humor.”
- In British English, you use “humour.”
Australian English mostly follows British English guidelines, so humour is correct.
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 “honor or honour.”
It’s important to choose one and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it sense of humour or humor?
-
Humor and humour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “humor,” so “sense of humor” is correct.
- In British English, you use “humour,” so “sense of humour” is correct.
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 “honor or honour.”
A QuillBot grammar check can help ensure you’re using either “sense of humor” or “sense of humour” consistently.
- Is it vitreous humour or humor?
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Humor and humour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use “humor,” so “vitreous humor” is correct.
- In British English, you use “humour,” so “vitreous humour” is correct.
“Vitreous humour/humor” refers to the clear, gelatinous mass that fills the space in the eye between the retina and lens.
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 “honor or honour.”
A QuillBot grammar check can help you use either “humor” or “humour” correctly.
