Theatre vs Theater | Definition, Spelling & Examples
Theatre and theater are two spellings of the noun used to refer to the art of theatrical production or the building where theatrical performances take place. The spelling depends on whether you’re using American or British English.
- In British English, “theatre” is correct.
- In American English, “theater” is standard.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
The theatre/theater is hosting a series of classical film screenings this month.
Studying the art of theatre/theater allows you to explore the history of storytelling.
Theatre or theater as a proper noun in names
The spelling difference between theatre and theater does not apply when it’s used as a proper noun in a name (e.g., “Boston Theater Company”).
American English: Sam loves theater. He wants to visit the York Theatre Royal.
Movie theatre or theater
The same spelling distinction applies to the compound noun movie theatre or movie theater.
- In British English, “movie theatre” is correct.
- In American English, “movie theater” is more common.
However, movie theatre is very rarely used. Instead, the building in which films or movies are shown is called a cinema in British English.
Let’s go to the movie theater this weekend to watch The Little Mermaid.
The movie theater was filled with anticipation as the audience awaited the premiere.
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 theatre vs theater
- Is it musical theatre or theater?
-
Theatre and theater are different spellings of the same noun. Its spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, “theatre” is standard.
- In American English, “theater” is correct.
This is also true for similar words, such as center or centre, meter or metre, liter or litre, saber or sabre, and fiber or fibre.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it theater or theatre in AP style?
-
Theatre and theater are spelled differently in American and British English.
- In British English, “theatre” is standard.
- In American English, “theater” is used.
AP style follows American English guidelines, so theater is the correct way to spell the noun.
This is also true for similar words, such as center or centre, meter or metre, liter or litre, saber or sabre, and fiber or fibre.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- How do you pronounce theatre or theater?
-
Theatre and theater are two spellings of the same noun.
- Theatre is standard in British English.
- Theater is standard in American English.
They’re both pronounced [thee-uh-ter], despite the difference in spelling. However, the pronunciation may vary slightly depending on regional dialect. For example, in American English, the final syllable may be pronounced with a “d” sound instead of a “t” sound: [thee-uh-der].
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
