Behaviour or Behavior | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Behaviour and behavior are different spellings of the noun used to refer to the way someone or something behaves or acts. The spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In British English, “behaviour” is standard
- In American English, “behavior” is correct.
It’s important to choose one type of English and use it consistently. The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help you with this.
Logan’s erratic behaviour/behavior raised concerns among his friends and family.
The study of consumer behaviour/behavior is vital for product development.
Behavior or behaviour is often preceded by an attributive noun (e.g., “animal behavior/behaviour”) or an adjective (e.g., “good behavior/behaviour”).
Behavioural or behavioral
The same distinction applies to related forms of the word, such as the adverb behaviourally or behaviorally and the adjective behavioural or behavioral.
- In British English, “behaviourally” and “behavioural” are standard.
- In American English, “behaviorally” and “behavioral” are correct.
The psychologist specializes in behavioural/behavioral issues in children.
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 behaviour or behavior
- Is it behavior or behaviour in Canada?
-
Behaviour and behavior are two spellings of the same noun. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “behaviour.”
- In American English, you use “behavior.”
Canadian English mainly follows UK guidelines, so behaviour is the correct spelling.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “favorite or favourite,” “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 behavior or behaviour in Australia?
-
Behaviour and behavior are two spellings of the same noun. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In British English, you use “behaviour.”
- In American English, you use “behavior.”
Australian English mainly follows UK guidelines, so behaviour is the correct spelling.
The same difference applies to similar words, such as “honor or honour,” “labor or labour,” “favor or favour,” “favorite or favourite,” “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.
