In Britain, Removals Means Moving House
Removal is the act of taking something away. British English uses the plural for the business of moving a household.
Removal is taking something away. British English has a specific plural use that puzzles visitors: a *removals* firm moves your furniture when you change house, and the vans are marked *Removals*. American English calls the same trade moving, and the vans say Movers.
- The act of taking away. *Removal of the tumour.*
- Dismissal from a post. *His removal as chair.*
- House moving (British). *A removals company.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | removal | Waste removal. |
| Plural | removals | A removals firm. |
| Verb | remove | Remove the cover. |
| Adjective | removable | A removable lining. |
| American | moving | A moving company. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Removal of the old boiler took a morning.Taking away.
- We booked a removals van.British house moving.
- The lining is removable for washing.Adjective.
Moving house vocabulary
- Removals — the trade, in British English
- Packing — boxing up before the move
- Completion — the day ownership transfers, in England and Wales
- Chain — a sequence of linked property sales
- Change of address — the notifications nobody finishes
From *remove*, from Old French *remouvoir*, from Latin *removere*, from *re-* and *movere*, to move — the same verb as in *motion* and *promote*.
Removals or movers?
Removals is the British term for the trade and the vans. Movers is American.
Removal or removement?
Removal. Removement is not standard English, though the pattern looks plausible.