Honor vs. Honour
“Honor” is the US spelling and “honour” is the UK spelling for the same noun/verb family. Keep the chosen regional spelling consistent unless a proper name or quoted text requires otherwise.
Use “honor” in American English and “honour” in British English.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| American English spelling | honor | Use “honor” in US English. |
| British English spelling | honour | Use “honour” in British English and styles that follow it. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the document following American English spelling conventions?
If yes: Use “honor.”
If no: Use “honour” when the governing variety or house style follows British spelling.
Caveat: This is a regional spelling difference, not a difference in core meaning; consistency with the document’s chosen variety matters most.
Examples
It was an honor to attend the ceremony.
“Honor” is the standard US spelling.
It was an honour to attend the ceremony.
“Honour” is the standard UK spelling.
The organization will honor the volunteers.
The US spelling also applies to the verb.
Further guidance
Core difference
“Honor” is the US spelling and “honour” is the UK spelling for the same noun/verb family. Keep the chosen regional spelling consistent unless a proper name or quoted text requires otherwise.
Fast Test
Choose by meaning, grammatical function, and documented regional convention rather than treating every visible variant as an error.
Variant Boundary
The difference is regional spelling, not a universal right-versus-wrong distinction.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- HONOR — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · US spelling “honor”
- HONOUR — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · UK spelling “honour”; entry cross-references US “honor”