Favourite vs Favorite | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Favourite and favorite are two ways of spelling the noun or adjective meaning “most preferred.” It can also be used as a verb to mean “mark something as the most preferred” (e.g., on social media). The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, “favourite” is standard.
- In American English, “favorite” is correct.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
“Do you like chocolate ice cream?” “Yes, it’s my absolute favourite/favorite!
I favourited/favorited this picture so I’d be able to find it again in the future.
Other forms of favourite or favorite
The same spelling difference applies to the adjective favourable or favorable, the noun favouritsm or favoritism, and the noun favour or favor.
- In British English, “favourable,” “favouritism,” and “favour” are correct.
- In American English, “favorable,” “favoritism,” and “favor” are correct.
The judicial system should always avoid any signs of favouritism/favoritism.
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.
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Frequently asked questions about favourite or favorite
- Is it favorite or favourite in Canada?
-
Favourite and favorite are two spellings of the same noun, adjective or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “favourite.”
- In American English, you use “favorite.”
Canadian English mainly follows British English guidelines, so favourite is the correct spelling.
The same distinction applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “behavior or behaviour,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it favorite or favourite in India?
-
Favourite and favorite are two spellings of the same noun, adjective or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “favourite.”
- In American English, you use “favorite.”
Indian English mostly follows British English guidelines, so favourite is standard.
The same distinction applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “behavior or behaviour,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
- Is it favourite or favorite in Australia?
-
Favourite and favorite are two spellings of the same noun, adjective or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “favourite.”
- In American English, you use “favorite.”
Australian English mainly follows British English guidelines, so favourite is standard.
The same distinction applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “behavior or behaviour,” “color or colour,” and “humor or humour.”
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
