Spelling

2 Comments

Pasteurize vs pasteurise

Pasteurize means to heat food to a temperature that will kill harmful microorganisms but not alter the quality of the food, or the taste. Pasteurize is a transitive verb. Pasteurize is the North American spelling, related words are  are pasteurizes, pasteurized, pasteurizing and pasteurization. Pasteurized may also be used as …

Read More

1 Comment

Faeces vs feces

Faeces is bodily waste excreted from the bowels, through the anus. The adjective is faecal. Faeces comes from the Latin word, faceces, which means sediment, dregs. Faeces began to directly refer to human excrement in the seventeenth century. Faeces refers to any animal’s solid waste, excreted from the bowels, through …

Read More

2 Comments

Cauterize vs cauterise

Cauterize means to burn the skin or a wound with a hot instrument or caustic substance.  Cauterizing eliminates necrotic tissue to prevent gangrene and infections, cauterizing also stops bleeding.  Cauterize is a transitive verb. Cauterize is the North American spelling, related words are cauterizes, cauterized, cauterizing and cauterization. Cauterise is an …

Read More

2 Comments

Minimize vs minimise

Minimize means to reduce to the smallest possible amount, to estimate to the least possible degree, to belittle or represent as worth less than is actually true. Minimize is a transitive verb which takes an object. The North American spelling is minimize, related words are minimizes and minimized, and the …

Read More

Spic and span vs spick and span

Spic and Span is the brand name of a cleaning product. While the spelling spic and span existed before the product, advertising has caused many people to popularize this spelling. The preferred spelling for this English phrase is spick and span. Spick and span is a phrase used as an …

Read More

1 Comment

Pharaoh or Pharoah

Pharaoh is the title given to ancient Egyptian rulers. Pharaoh is also used as a proper noun in the Bible. Today, referring to someone as a pharaoh means that he is a tyrant. The adjective form is pharaonic. Pharaoh comes from the Egyptian pr-‘o, which means great house. American Pharoah …

Read More

Extol vs extoll

Extol is the preferred spelling of a verb which means to praise lavishly or to glorify. When one extols a person’s virtues, one speaks of that person in heroic terms. Extol comes from the Latin ex– meaning out or upward and tollere meaning raise. When using extol in the past …

Read More

Fur vs fir

Fur is a noun that means the hairy coat of an animal. Fur is also the skin of an animal which is covered with this fine hair, as well as a garment made out of fur. The adjective form appears before a noun, such as fur coat or fur trapper. …

Read More

1 Comment

Deviled vs devilled

Deviled is the accepted spelling in the United States and Canada for an adjective describing food that is seasoned with horseradish, mustard, paprika or pepper to impart a strong flavor. In other English-speaking countries, the spelling is devilled. Deviled eggs have been prepared since the Roman Empire, coming into modern …

Read More

3 Comments

Entree vs entrée

Entree is an acceptable alternative spelling for entrée, but is used mainly in the United States while other English-speaking (and French-speaking) countries tend to retain the accent mark over the second e. However, this can be inconsistent even within the same publication and it’s best to follow one’s own preference or the appropriate …

Read More