One language separated by an ocean. English spoken in the UK and the US is not only separated by geography, but also 400 years of history. Dr Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of 1755 was one of the first codifications of English in the UK and helped standardise the language across the country. However, English in the US continued in its original form and developed in its own way until Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. Therefore some of the words used in the US today may have come from dialects in the UK, but have fallen out of favour.
As an UK ex-pat living in the US, and someone who loves cooking, there have been challenges while shopping, eating in restaurants or just discussing food. It is sometime like learning a new language. As well as new words and phrases, even the cuts of meat are different, and not just the names. See for “What’s your beef?” for diagrams.
Biscuit USA v Rest of the World
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| Aubergine | Eggplant |
| Bacon | Bacon |
| In the UK, bacon is predominantly from the back of the pig, while in the US it is from the belly, which in the UK is called streaky | |
| Bacon Rasher | Slice of Bacon |
| Bain Marie | Double Boiler |
| Banger | Sausage |
| The word sausage is also used in the UK. The name banger comes from the fact that sausage made in natural casing sometimes burst when cooking. | |
| Basil | Basil |
| In the UK, basil is pronounced bah-zil, while in the US it is pronounced bay-zil | |
| Beetroot | Beets |
| Removed | |
| Biscuit | Cookie |
| Boiled Sweet | Hard Candy |
| Broad Bean | Fava Bean |
| Butter Bean | Lima Bean |
| Candy Floss | Cotton Candy |
| Caster Sugar | Superfine Sugar |
| Chickpea | Garbanzo Bean |
| Chicory | Endive |
| This applies to Belgian endive and not all chicory | |
| Chipolata | Cocktail Sausage |
| Though technically Chipolatas are long and thin sausages, in Scotland the name is also used for cocktail sausages | |
| Chips | French Fries |
| Cider | Hard Cider |
| Since prohibition, cider in the US is now just apple juice | |
| Clingfilm | Saran wrap |
| Conserves | Preserves |
| Coriander | Cilantro |
| In the UK coriander means both the spice and the herb, were-as in the US it just means the spice. | |
| Cornflour | Cornstarch |
| Cos lettuce | Romaine lettuce |
| Courgette | Zucchini or Summer Squash |
| In the UK, a large courgette is called a marrow | |
| Crayfish | Crawfish |
| Cream, Double | Heavy Cream |
| Cream, Single | Half and half |
| Crisps | Chips |
| Crumpet | English Muffin |
| Similar but not quite the same | |
| Cutlery | Flatware or Silverware |
| Cutlet | Chop |
| Demerara sugar | Light brown cane sugar |
| Digestive Biscuit | Graham cracker |
| Though not the same, they can be used interchangeably in recipes as they have a similar taste | |
| Doner Kebab | Gyro |
| In the UK, the doner is the great staple of after the pub food for the walk home | |
| Fairycake | Cupcake |
| Fillet Steak | Filet mignon or Tenderloin |
| In the UK, fillet is pronounced fill-it, while in the US it is pronounced fil-A | |
| Fish Fingers | Fish Sticks |
| French Beans | String Beans |
| Frying Pan | Skillet |
| Gammon | Ham |
| Ginger Nut | Ginger Snap |
| Glace Fruits | Candied Fruits |
| Greaseproof Paper | Wax Paper |
| Green / Red Peppers | Bell Peppers |
| Grill | Broiler |
| To add to the confusion a British Barbeque (BBQ) in the US is called a grill | |
| Herb | Herb |
| In the UK, herb is pronounced with the H and in the US it is silent. See Eddie Izzard | |
| Hull | Shuck |
| Hundreds and Thousands | Sprinkles |
| Ice lolly | Popsicle |
| Icing | Frosting |
| Icing Sugar | Confectioner’s Sugar |
| Jam | Jelly |
| Jelly | Jello |
| Jug | Pitcher |
| Kipper | Smoked Herring |
| Lemonade | Lemonade |
| In the UK lemonade is a fizzy soda drink while in the US it is traditional lemonade made from water, sugar and real lemons. | |
| Liquidizer | Blender |
| Liqueurs | Cordials |
| Macaroni Cheese | Mac & Cheese |
| Madeira Cake | Pound Cake |
| Main Course | Entrée |
| The word Entrée is sometimes used in the UK, but for an appetizer | |
| Mangetout | Snow peas |
| Mince | Ground |
| as in beef | |
| Muesli | Granola |
| Napkin | Serviette |
| Pastry case | Pie case |
| Paw Paw | Papaya |
| Papaya is also commonly used in the UK | |
| Pickled Gerkins | Pickles |
| Pie | Pot Pie |
| The word pie in the UK predominantly means a savoury pie usually filled with meat | |
| Pint | Pint |
| Though the names are the same, a pint in the UK is equivalent to 568ml where-as in the US it is 473ml. Also to note that beer glasses in the US are exactly one pint to the brim and leave no room for the head. Get a “Piaget” Beer Gauge to keep your barman honest | |
| Plain flour | All purpose flour |
| Plonk | Cheap Wine |
| Porridge | Oatmeal, Cooked |
| Prawn | Small Shrimp |
| Profiterole | Cream Puff |
| Pudding | Dessert |
| Rock (Seaside Rock) | Stick Candy |
| Rocket | Arugula |
| Rump steak | Sirloin |
| Salt Beef | Corn(ed) Beef |
| Corn beef in the UK is a very different product. | |
| Scone | Biscuit |
| Similar but not quite the same | |
| Self-raising flour | Self-rising flour |
| Semi-Skimmed Milk | 2% Milk |
| Semolina | Cream of wheat |
| Sirloin | Porterhouse |
| Removed, as there is apparently too many UK and US regional variations. |
|
| Sorbet | Sherbert |
| Spirit | Liquor |
| Spring Onions | Green Onions |
| Scallions is another term that is sometimes used in both countries | |
| Stuffing | Dressing |
| Squash | ? |
| Squash is a drink made by diluting fruit concentrate | |
| Wife-beater | Stella Artois |
| It is called Stella in the UK as well, but this is a commonly used slang term because when it was first introduced into the UK it was a lot stronger than other beers, and caused people to become drunk faster. | |
| Sausage Rolls | Franks in a Blanket |
| Stone | Pit |
| as in peaches | |
| Sultanas | Golden Raisins |
| Swede | Rutabaga |
| Also known as a yellow turnip and in Scotland these are called Neeps | |
| Sweet | Dessert |
| Dessert is used in the UK too | |
| Sweetcorn | Corn |
| Sweets | Candy |
| Swiss Roll | Jelly Roll |
| Takeaway | Takeout or To go |
| Tart | Pie |
| In the UK pies have lids and are savoury, tarts don’t have lids and are sweet | |
| Tin Foil | Aluminum Foil |
| Also note the US spelling of Aluminum | |
| Tinned | Canned |
| Tinned and Canned refered to the metal containers for preserving food, but food preserved in glass in the UK is called bottled whereas in the US it is still called canned. | |
| Toffee | Taffy |
| Toffee Apple | Candy Apple |
| Tomato | Tomato |
| In the UK, is pronounced tom-ah-toe, while in the US it is pronounced tom-A-toe | |
| Treacle | Molasses |
| Water biscuit | Soda biscuit |
| Whisky | Scotch |
| Whiskey (note the spelling) comes from Ireland or the USA | |
| Wholemeal flour | Whole-wheat flour |
26 comments
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Great list. There is no equivalent in the U.S. for the squash (liquid fruit concentrate).
Author
Yes, we know, we have looked. We can get British imports of Robinson’s Orange Fruit Squash, but it is very expensive.
“Fizzy Juice” bahahah. Take this list with a pinch of salt or should I say chip-dusting.
Whilst it’s great that you put the effort into this list, there’s a few inaccuracies. I’ll point out a few as it may help:
Banger: Banger is a slang term, we would always buy “sausages “in the shop and sausage is used just as, if not more frequently.
Coriander: We refer to the plant, and the ground spice as coriander and the leaves as coriander leaves. In the US I think it is just the leaves that are cilantro.
Bilberry and Blueberry are two different things.
Paw Paw/Papaya: I see Papaya used much, much more.
Plonk: Used very rarely nowadays, mainly by middle-aged geography teachers.
Fizzy juice: !?!?!
Spring onions: I’ve heard scallions used in some parts of the UK.
Sweet: We use dessert too if it refers to the sweet dish served after a main. Sweet mainly means what American’s would refer to as candy.
Author
Thanks James for your comments. This list wasn’t meant as a definitive list of food terms between the 2 countries but as a conversation piece. I’ll edit the list to reflect some of your comments. Cheers
I think instead of “fizzy juice” you must mean fizzy drink, which is used all over.
Americans have jam–but it’s a preserve than has course bits of fruit in it (as opposed to a jelly, which is strained).
Just an FYI…. graham crackers and digestives are NOT the same thing. They’re somewhat similar (flavour and texture are different), and they can be used fairly interchangeably in recipes (i.e. for cheesecake crust, etc.), but it’s inaccurate to suggest that they’re the same product with two different names.
Author
Thanks woadgrrl. I know the two products are different and wasn’t trying to suggest they are the same, but like you said they can be used interchangeably in recipes. I’ve updated the list as per your comments. Cheers
We have various prawns/shrimps in the UK.
In order from smallest size to largest…
Shrimp
Prawn
King Prawn/Tigger Prawn
Others.
UK chips are fat and chunky, UK fries are just like french fries but also get called chips.
UK sherbert is difficult to describe, it’s like a tangy sweet powder.
Biscuit and cookie is a good one in the UK. A cookie in the UK is specifically the sort with chocolate chips in, anything else is a biscuit. American biscuits are indeed a bit like scones.
In the UK we pronouce the H in Herbs, I used to get some funny looks in the US when I did that.
Whiskey/Whisky/Scotch are not the same things and are not used interchangeably.
Author
Thanks for comment Tara and sorry for the confusion. The reference to Whisky, was that Whisky spelt without an ‘E’ is only from Scotland, and this is known in the US as Scotch (Blended or Single Malt). And not that the words are interchangeable.
I think the origin of Stella/wifebeater might come from a “A Streetcar Named Desire,” rather more than the alcohol content.
I really enjoyed reading this list. I was especially surprised that so many British English terms for vegetables seem to be wholly French in origin.
Thoughts on a few of the comparisons: Plenty of Americans say “tin foil” when they really mean aluminum foil. Also, I think “frying pan” and “skillet” are both prominently used across the US, and “frying pan” might even be more common.
Stuart, you may have come across this by now, but in the U.S., a ‘paw paw’ is actually a native fruit. It looks similar to a mango in shape, although the seeds inside are much more like a papaya. Either way, though, it’s not the same fruit. They mostly grow in the mid-south to southeastern parts of the U.S., but they don’t travel well, so they’re not widely marketed. My grandmother in Virginia had a few trees. They’re very good and remind me a bit of the champagne mangos you get from Mexico, but a bit firmer.
Just a few changes:
Chipolatas in the UK are short thin sausages, typically used in the 70’s impaled on a cocktail stick, or spread round the turkey at Christmas.
The term “chop” is more likely to be used in the UK, lamb chop etc. than cutlet.
We tend to say “shell” rather than “hull”, peas or nuts etc.
Muesli and Granola are not the same thing, as Granola tends to be quite sweet with lots of sugar in it.
“Pie” in the UK can be equally used for both savoury and sweet dishes. Apple pie, cherry pie etc.
Neeps in Scotland are turnips not swedes.
Tarts..not all tarts in the UK are sweet, e.g Goats Cheese tart.
Toffee is not synonymous with Taffy. Toffee is more of a caramel. While Taffy is boiled sugar and oil.
Author
Though maybe not used everywhere there is some evidence to suggest the term taffy is being used to mean more of a caramel toffee
Just read in The Spectator about a Brit’s garden in Kenya growing lucerne. Anyone know another name for it, I’m puzzled. Thanks!
Author
As far as I can determine the plant Lucerne is called Alfalfa in North America
I’m seeing a lot of comment making fun of “fizzy juice” but we use it a lot in Scotland I’ve moved three times up here and to different regions and I hear it all the time, especially in Glasgow, where I’m from.
In the US, we have Apple juice, Cider, and Hard Cider. Apple juice is strained and usually sweetened. Mostly kids drink it in little juice boxes and is non alcoholic. Cider is unstrained and usually has spices added, like cinnamon and cloves, and is non alcoholic. Usually sold around fall and winter and drank hot. Hard cider can be spiced or not, strained or not, but the “Hard” indicates an alcoholic content of some sort, which can also vary in strength depending on who’s producing it. Its generally drank cold all year round.
Crayfish is also used in the US. As is Crawfish, Crawdad, Craydid, Mudbug, Yabby, and Mountain lobster, depending on where you grew up. Personally, I use Crawdad.
A cookie and a biscuit are 2 different things.
cookies are made with soft wheat and are leavened . Biscuits are made with hard wheat and unleavened. They really aren’t interchangeable. I know Americans use the word biscuits to describe a savoury thing kinda similar to what uk calls a scone but cookies and biscuits are not at all the same thing.
I really enjoyed reading this list and all the comments…cleared up my confusion with some of the terms on “The Great British Baking Show,” such as sultanas and caster sugar. Thanks
Someone may have said this already, but crumpets are English Muffins aren’t the same thing. English Muffins are just called MUffins here, kind of obviously. Confusingly muffins, as in a wee cake thing are also called muffins here, but they are easily distinguished as they are bigger, have a paper case and having fillings. An English muffin is very bread like, whereas crumpets are slightly chewy and if they are raised at all it isn’t much ( raised as in having been made with yeast), and don’t really have a bread like consistency. But the main difference is crumpets have like vertical holes in them and the base is browned, sort of like a blini. Crumpets are cooked on a hot plate which causes bubbles to rise through them and cause the holes, go and have a look on google images, it’s hard to explain. Crumpets are actually really nice, especially with butter and honey, jam (jello), chocolate spread.