British English to American English: Letter S
Sabre Saber
Saccharine Saccharin
Sailing boat Sailboat
Saleable Salable
Saleroom Salesroom
Sales assistant Sales clerk
Saloon (car) Sedan
Saltcellar??? Saltshaker
Sanatorium Sanitarium
Sand martin (bird) Bank swallow (bird)
Sandpit Sandbox
Sandshoe = light shoe or type of sneaker
Sanitary towel Sanitary pad/ sanitary/Feminine napkin
Sanitise Sanitize
Saviour Savior
Savour Savor
Savoury Savoury
Scandalise Scandalize
Sceptic Skeptic
Sceptical Skeptical
Sceptically Skeptically
Scepticism Skepticism
Sceptre Scepter
Schedule Timetable
Scimetar Scimeter
Scour Scour
Scone Biscuit
Scotch Fillet Sirloin (steak)
Screen wiper Windshield wiper
Scribble pad Scratch pad
scrip = share certificate scrip = certificate of indebtedness in lieu of government currency
crolling Scroling
Scrutinise Scrutinize
Scupper scrap/ditch (plans)
Seafront Beachfront
See-saw teeter-totter
Secateurs Pruning shears
Secondary school High school
Second floor Third floor
Secondment =
Second thoughts Second thought
Secularise Secularize
Selfdrive =
Self-fulfilment Self-fulfillment
Self-fulfilling Self-fulfilling SAME
Sell-by date Expiration date
Sellotape ™ Scotch tape™
Selvedges selvage
Semibreve Whole note
Semi-detached Duplex
Semi skimmed milk Low fat milk
Semiquaver Sixteenth Note
Semolina Cream of wheat
Senior Lecturer = university lecturer ranking below a Reader
Sensationalise Sensationalize
Sensitise Sensitize
Sentimentalise Sentimentalize
Septendecillion BE n+102 zeros Septendecillion AE n+54 zeros
Septillion BE n+42 zeros Septillion AE n+24 zeros
Sepulchre Sepulcher
Serialise Serialize
Service flat Self-contained apartment
Service flats Apartment hotel
Service road Frontage road
Serviette Napkin
Settee Love seat
Sexdecillion BE n+72 zeros Sexdecillion AE n+39 zeros
Sextillion BE n+36 zeros Sextillion AE n+21 zeros
Sequestrate = to seize or confiscate (sequestered)
Share (~ in a company) Stake (~ in a company)
Shareholder Stockholder
Shares Stocks
Sheikh Sheik
Shoelace Shoestring
Shooting = hunt wild animals Hunting
Shop assistant Sales clerk
Shop (small) Store (small/large)
Shopping centre Mall
Shorthand Stenography
Short tonne Tonne = 2000lb
Show Fair
Sick/ill = poor health Sick = poor health
(To be) sick = throw up, vomit
Signalled Signaled
Signaller Signaler
Signalling Signaling
Silencer (car) Muffler (car)
Simnell = food
Silver foil Tinfoil
Silverside = a rump of roast beef
Silverware Cutlery
Singeing Singeing
Single (ticket) One way (ticket)
Singlet undershirt
Singleton/Single Single person
Sitting room Living room
Sirloin steak Porterhouse steak
Sizeable Sizable
Skilful Skillful
Skilfully Skillfully
Skilfulness Skillfulness
Skillet, frying-pan Fry pan
Skimmed milk Skim milk
Skint (infml.) Broke
Skip DumpsterTM
Skipping rope Jump rope
Skirting board Baseboard
Skittle (bowling) Pin
Slavonic Slavic
Sledge/toboggan Sled
Sleeper (railway) Cross-tie, tie
Sleeping car Sleeper
Sleevelink Cufflink
Slip carriage =
Slip road ramp, Off-ramp, exit ramp
Slowcoach Slowpoke
Smart/well dressed Well dressed
Smelt or smelled Smelled
Smoulder Smolder
Snigger Snicker
Snivelled Sniveled
Snivelling Sniveling
Snog (v.) Make out
Snowplough Snowplow
Snr. Sr.
Socialise Socialize
Social anthropology Cultural anthropology
Socket Jack
Sock suspender =
Sodomise Sodomize
Solicitor Lawyer
Soliloquise Soliloquize
Sofa Couch
Sofa-bed Hideaway
Soft drink Soda
Solicitor Lawyer/attorney
Sombre Somber
Sorbet Sherbet
Sour Sour
Southwards Southward
Spanner (Monkey) wrench
Sparking plugs Sparkplugs
Spate Downpour
Speeded (up) Sped (up)
Specialising (in) Specialised (in)
Specialise Specialize
Specialist equipment Specialized equipment
Specialities Specialties
Speciality Specialty
Spectacles Eyeglasses
Spectre Specter
Spell, Spelt, Spelt Spell, Spelled, Spelled
Splendour Splendor
Spilt Spilled
Spiralling Spiraling
Spirit level Carpenter’s level
Spirits Liquor
Spiritualise Spiritualize
Spit, Spat, Spat Spit, Spit, Spit
Spoilt Spoiled
Spring onion Scallion
Spring roll Egg roll
Square brackets Brackets
Stabilise Stabilize
Stabilisers (bike) Training wheels
Stalls Orchestra
Staff (academic) Faculty
Stand for office/election Run for office/election
Standardise Standardize
Standardisation Standardization
Stands Bleachers
Starter Appetizer
Stationer’s Stationary store (not common)
State school Public school
Sterilise Sterilize
STIs STDs
Stigmatise Stigmatize
Stock cube Bouillion cube
Stocking filler Stocking stuffer
Stockist =
Stone Rock
Stone (fruit) Pit (fruit)
Stopcock??? valve
Store (larger shop) Store
Storey Story
Storeyed Story
Storeys Stories
Straight away Right away (straightaway)
Stream Creek
Streat lamp Street light
Stroke (/) Slash (/)
Stroppy Irritable/easily offended
Stupor Stupor
Stylise Stylize
Sub edit Copy edit
Sub-editor Copyeditor/copy reader
Subsidise Subsidize
Succour Succor
Sulphate Sulfate
Sulphide Sulfide
Sulphites sulfites
Sulphur Sulfur
Sultana Raisin
Summarise Summarize
Summer time Daylight saving
Summons Citation
Sump Oil pan
Sunblock/Suncream Sunscreen
Supremo = person of the highest skill/power
Surgery Medical office, Doctor’s office
Surgery (doctor’s/dentist’s ~) Office/practice (doctor’s/dentist’s ~)
Surgical spirit Rubbing alcohol
Surname Last name
Survey = to determine structural condition of a building
Suspender belt Garter belt
Suspenders Garters
Symbolise Symbolize
Sympathise Sympathize
Synchronise Synchronize
Synthesise Synthesize
Syphon Siphon
Swap Trade
Swear Curse
Swede Turnip/rutabaga
Sweet corn (kernels) Corn (kernels)
Sweet shop/confectioner Candy store
Sweets Candy
Swing door Swinging door
Swingeing = huge
Swiss roll/jam roll Jelly roll
Have I missed anything? Send in your American/British differences now.
