Aluminum vs Aluminium | Spelling & Examples
It is generally the case that in American English, aluminum is the preferred spelling, and in British English (and most variants outside the North American continent), aluminium is favored.
This variation in spelling is perhaps one of the more striking differences between American English and British English. After all, this isn’t just a case of a verb ending but the actual name of one of the most widely used metals in the modern world.
The explanation of how we ended up with both aluminum and aluminium is quite complex. But the answer to how it is spelled is easy: in almost every situation, you are free to spell it either way, though aluminum is more common in American English and aluminium in British English.
Aluminum/aluminium is an ideal metal for recycling, as the process consumes only five percent of the energy required to refine it from bauxite.
As Priya had just found out, although aluminum/aluminium made for a lightweight bike frame, it could also just snap when overstressed.
Aluminum or Aluminium
Even though both the American English aluminum (pronounced ) and the British English aluminium (pronounced ) are acceptable spellings of the metal, it is best to use the preferred geographical variant for your audience. Whichever you choose, it is also important to be consistent and to check if your institution’s style guide requires a particular spelling (e.g., the APA Publication Manual requires the American spelling, aluminum).
In the auto industry, aluminum/aluminium provides a lightweight alternative to steel, but it is more expensive to produce and more difficult to repair.
Aluminum/aluminium was used in the second half of the 20th century as the conductor in household electrical wiring but was found to be less safe than copper.
However, by the time Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language, the aluminum/aluminium distinction between North America and the rest of the English-speaking world was established.
It is only in the last few decades that aluminum has become accepted by scientific authorities. Now, both aluminum and aluminium coexist as acceptable variants but with clear geographical preferences.
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 aluminum or aluminium
- Is aluminum the correct spelling in British English?
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Aluminum is recognized as a variant spelling of the more common aluminium in British English.
Although it can be spelled either way, it’s usually wisest to use the preferred geographical spelling for your audience. And remember to use the spelling required by your institution’s style guide.
For instance, the APA Publication Manual requires aluminum, except when quoting a source text, whereas the Chicago Manual of Style recommends spelling according to whether you are following American English or British English spellings.
With the QuillBot Grammar Checker, you can select your language region preferences, so you can ensure that you have the correct spelling of aluminum or aluminium.
- Is aluminium the correct spelling in American English?
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Although aluminium is recognized in dictionaries as a variant spelling of aluminum, some style guides (e.g., APA) require the more common American English spelling, aluminum.
Generally, aluminum is the standard spelling in North America, while aluminium is prevalent in the rest of the English-speaking world.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker lets you select your language region so you can check if you have the correct spelling of aluminum or aluminium.
