Tyre vs Tire | Spelling, Definition and Explanation
If you are writing the word that describes the inflated rubber donut-shaped item found on the wheels of cars, trucks, and bicycles, then the spelling will depend on the geographical location of your audience.
In American English the correct spelling is tire, while in British English it is spelled tyre.
For racing in dry weather, Formula One teams choose a tyre/tire that is completely smooth for improved grip.
It was typical, thought Emelia; she was in a hurry, and it was raining, so of course she got a flat tyre/tire!
Tyre or tire
Generally speaking, British Commonwealth countries favor the British English spelling of tyre, with the main exception being Canada, where the American English spelling of tire is the correct one.
A low-profile tyre/tire improves rolling resistance and cornering performance but sacrifices ride comfort.
A racing cyclist’s tubular tyre/tire (or “tub”) is held on to the wheel, rather scarily, by glue and nothing else!
In American English there is no spelling distinction, so readers have to use the context to determine what is meant by tire.
Tires or tyres
The same spelling difference between American English and British English exists with the plural form tyres/tires.
In many modern cars, a warning system will let you know of underinflation problems in any of your tyres/tires.
Disposing of worn tyres/tires is a significant problem, as they do not decompose, are very difficult to recycle, and every year we discard nearly 300 million of them!
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. |
