American English

Many of these terms are used in Canada as well as the United States. But then (contrary to what some US citizens seem to believe), Canada is actually part of America.

You can obviously ask any of these either way round – for example, you can ask what's the British equivalent of the American term "collect call". The main reason for separating them as I have is because some of them are less obvious, or (more importantly) less ambiguous, one way.

British usage to American

e.g. "What term is used in America for what we in Britain call (a) ... ?"
Stag night		Bachelor party
Fringe (in hair styling)		Bangs
Reverse charge (telephone) call		Collect (call)
Candy floss		Cotton candy
(Baby's) nappy		Diaper
Torch		Flashlight
Manufactured substitute for breast milk		(Infant) formula
Icing (in cake decoration)		Frosting
Jam (fruit preserves)		Jelly
Star jump		Jumping Jack
Ladybird		Ladybug
Launderette		Laundromat
Divers (birds)		Loons
Silencer (on a car)		Muffler
Baby's dummy		Pacifier
Bunker (golf)		Sand trap
Pavement		Sidewalk
Flick knife		Switchblade
Drawing pin		Thumb tack
Noughts and Crosses (traditional game)		Tic Tac Toe
Boot (of a car)		Trunk
Spanner		Wrench

Term used in America for someone who works in a restaurant, clearing and setting tables, washing dishes, and otherwise assisting the waiting staff

Busser (busboy, busgirl, etc.)

American usage to British

e.g. "What term is used in Britain for what is known in America as a(n) ... ?"
Eggplant		Aubergine
Beano, Lucky or Radio		Bingo
Derby (hat)		Bowler
Suspenders		Braces
Head cheese		Brawn
Fava beans		Broad beans
Fanny pack		Bum bag
Fender (car part)		Bumper
Trailer		Caravan
Lapstrake		Clinker built
Chinese parsley or Mexican parsley – or cilantro, which is its Spanish name		Coriander
Zucchini		Courgette
Quarter note		Crotchet
Tuxedo		Dinner jacket
Checkers		Draughts
Chicory		Endive
Realtor		Estate agent
Station wagon		Estate car
G–man		FBI agent
Broiled (food)		Grilled
Caboose (on a train)		Brake van or guard's van
Purse		Handbag
Burlap (coarse fabric)		Hessian
Popsicle		Ice lolly
On the lam		In hiding, or making an escape
Spelunking		Caving (potholing)
Teamster		Lorry (truck) driver, or (esp. historically) carter
Vaudeville		Music Hall
Tic tac toe		Noughts & crosses
Variety meats		Offal
Kerosene		Paraffin
Plexiglass (trade name)		Perspex
Beltway		Ring road
Pavement		Roadway or carriageway
Arugula (salad vegetable, scientific name Eruca sativa)		Rocket
Fireweed		Rosebay willow herb
Traffic circle (to road users)		Roundabout or traffic island
Dumpster		Skip
Bleachers		Stands (at a sporting venue)
Burlesque		Striptease (etc.)
Rutabaga		Swede
Faucet		Tap
Dacron		Terylene
Nightstick		(Policeman's) truncheon
Vest		Waistcoat
Billfold		Wallet

© Haydn Thompson 2017–23