Labor vs. Labour
“Labour” is the usual British spelling for the work/workforce senses, while “labor” is the corresponding US spelling documented by Cambridge.
Use “labour” in ordinary British English and “labor” in ordinary US English for the shared work/workforce senses.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Audience / region | Use | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| US English | labor | Regional spelling. |
| British English | labour | Regional spelling. |
| Proper names / organizations | preserve official spelling | Do not regionalize an official name. |
Quick tests
Regional-style test
Is the document following US or British spelling?
If yes: Use the regional spelling consistently.
If no: If no style is fixed, choose one convention and avoid switching randomly.
Caveat: This comparison concerns shared work/workforce senses; specialized names and legal terms may have fixed spellings.
Examples
US style: labor costs increased this quarter.
“Labor” is the documented US spelling.
UK style: labour costs increased this quarter.
“Labour” is the documented British spelling.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge labels “labour” UK and gives “labor” as the US form for the same core senses.
Scope Boundary
Apply the spelling distinction to the shared lexical senses; proper names and fixed institutional names keep their official spelling.
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.
- Labour — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · UK labour / US labor spelling relationship