Color and Colour Split Because of One Dictionary
Color is the American spelling of colour. The difference dates from Noah Webster, who deliberately simplified a set of British spellings.
Color is the property of an object determined by the light it reflects, spelled the American way. The split is the work of one man: Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary deliberately dropped the u from a whole family of words — *color*, *honor*, *labor*, *favor* — arguing that the British spellings preserved a French detour the Latin originals never had. He was right about the Latin, and the reform took hold in America only. Both spellings are correct; consistency within a document is what matters.
- A visual property. *A bright color.*
- To add colour. *Color the map.*
- Colour — the British spelling. *A vivid colour.*
- Colourful — full of colour, or lively. *A colourful character.*
- Coloration — the pattern of colours. *Protective coloration.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun (US) | color | A warm color. |
| Noun (UK) | colour | A warm colour. |
| Verb | color | Color it in. |
| Adjective | colourful | Colourful language. |
| Latin | color | Colour, hue. |
- Choose a color for the background.American.
- The colours faded in the sun.British.
- Webster dropped the u in 1828.History.
The Webster spellings
- -our to -or — colour, honour, labour
- -re to -er — centre, theatre, metre
- -ise to -ize — recognise, organise (though -ize is also British)
- Doubled l dropped — travelled becomes traveled
- Some proposals failed — tongue as *tung* never caught on
Old French *colour*, from Latin *color*. American English restored the Latin form after Noah Webster's dictionary of 1828.
Which spelling is correct?
Both. Color is standard in the United States, colour in Britain and most of the Commonwealth.
Why did American spelling change?
Noah Webster deliberately simplified a group of spellings in his 1828 dictionary, and his versions became American standard.