Honor and honour are the same words with the same meaning but with different spellings. The meanings of both words as a noun are “great respect” or “privilege.” It can also be used as a verb which means “keep an agreement” or “regard with great respect.” The selection of words and correct spelling depends on the type of English you use.
- In American English, “honor” is correct.
- In British and Australian English, “honour” is standard.
Meaning of Honor or Honour As a Noun
Honor and honour are two variations of the same word. Both words can be used as a noun or a verb. As a noun, honor/ honour means respect, esteem, or a code of conduct based on moral values. Some examples of honor or honour as a noun are:
- She received an honor/honour for her hard work.
- We stand in honor/honour of the heroes.
- He was given the honor/honour of a special title.
- It was an honor/honour to meet her.
- He graduated with honors/honour.
- They had a party in her honor/honour.
Meaning of Honor or Honour As a Verb
As a verb, honor or honour means to show respect, admiration, or recognition to someone or something. Some examples of honor or honour as a verb are:
- We honor our parents.
- They honored the hero.
- She was honored at the event.
- He will honor his promise.
- The city honored the artist.
- Let’s honor their efforts.
Honor as an Adjective
Honor as an adjective is known as “honorary.” The related adjective honorary, which means “given in recognition of achievement without the usual requirements,” is used in both US and UK English, even though “honour” is the standard spelling in the UK. Similarly, “honorific” and “honorarium” fit this description. Using “-our-” to spell these words is incorrect every time.
The use of Honorary in a sentence:
- Andrew has been given an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contributions to engineering.
- She received an honorary diploma from the university for her contributions to the field.
- He was made an honorary member of the community center for his volunteer work.
- The artist was granted an honorary role in the cultural committee for her artistic impact.
What is the Difference Between Honor and Honour
Honor and honour have the same meanings, but their usage and selection of correct words depend on the dialects and the region. It is necessary to use the same word consistently and choose the correct spelling based on your audience and the dialect. Let’s explore more about their difference in detail.
| Honor | Honour | |
| Spelling | US | UK, Canada and Australia |
| Suggested spelling for | Suggested American English Spelling | Suggested spellings for British, Canadian, and Australian English |
| History of Origin | From the Latin “honos” | From the Old French “honor” |
| Relates with | Related to American culture and history | Relates to British and Commonwealth culture and history |
| Influenced by | Noah Webster’s dictionary influences the spelling. | Samuel Johnson’s dictionary influenced the spelling. |
| Meaning | Adherence to moral and ethical principles; respect and esteem gained through personal integrity and character. | Adherence to moral and ethical principles; respect and esteem gained through personal integrity and character. |
| Context | Often used in business and corporate contexts | Often used in legal and political contexts |
| Pronunciation | It is usually pronounced with a short “o” sound, like “ahn-er.” | It is usually pronounced with a long “o” sound, like “ahn-er”. |
| Consideration | Considered more casual or informal in British and Commonwealth English | Considered more formal or traditional in British and Commonwealth English |
| Used in | ||
| Examples | ||
Other Variations of Honor and Honour
Although “honor” and “honour” are the main words, their grammatical family has other possibilities. Here are some examples of other contexts for the use of honor vs. honour in sentences.
Honored Vs Honoured
- She was honored with a prestigious award for her contributions to the community.
- He was honoured with a knighthood for his lifetime of service to the nation.
Honorable Vs Honourable
- The judge’s honorable decision earned him respect from all sides.
- It was an honourable gesture for him to step down from his position to preserve integrity.
Honouring Vs honoring
- They are honouring the hero with a parade.
- They are honoring the hero with a parade.
Maid Of Honour Vs Maid Of Honor
- She stood by the bride’s side as her maid of honour during the wedding ceremony.
- She served as the bride’s maid of honor, assisting with wedding preparations and offering support.
The Trick to Remember the Difference
As ‘honor’ and ‘honour‘ are the same word, using either variant with the wrong audience would be distracting and might exploit the quality of your writing. Remembering and choosing the right word might be difficult. So, with this trick, you can remember the main difference while selecting the suitable word according to your audience.
- Honor like a color without ‘u,’ is the preferred spelling of these words in American English. In British English, honour is standard. Therefore, you should keep remember that the concise spelling will be used as ‘honor’ with American audiences and ‘honour’ with Australian and British audiences.
- You can remember to use honour for British audiences since honour is spelled with a U, which is also the first letter of the United Kingdom. This shared U should make it easier to remember that British audiences prefer honour.
- Remember that the letter ‘u’ is mostly used in British English words such as colour vs. color, favour vs. favor, and labor vs. labour.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Honour” is more common in Australian English, whereas ‘honor’ is in the American English word. Both words reflect respect, professionalism, and ethical standards as far as conducting business is concerned. Select “honour” if the context of the language is Australian English and “honor” if it is American English. It is also important to use the correct spelling consistently to the intended readers or the writing style of a particular document.
In Canada, people write and pronounce it as both ‘honor’ and ‘honour’. Both words are used commonly in Canada. Whereas ‘honour’ is according to the British and Australian variant of English and ‘honor’ reflects to American English. In general, ‘honour’ is used more frequently because of the historical influence of British English in Canada. However, both of these spellings are meaningful and commonly used in most or all forms of Canadian English.
In British English, the spelling of the word “honour” is commonly used in the United Kingdom. In general, “honor” is more common in American English, whereas “honour” is preferred in formal and official contexts in British English when referring to goodness, respect, and ethics.
Honor and honour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use ‘your Honor’ as a title of respect (e.g., to address a judge).
- In British English, you use ‘your Honour’ instead.
Honour can be defined as following moral and ethical standards, having personal integrity, and earning respect through one’s behavior. It is a practice of maintaining a set standard in dealing with other people or in business by being truthful and respecting the rights of others.
Honouring and honoring are different spellings of the present participle of the word “honor/honour.” The spelling difference varies depending on whether you’re writing UK or US English
- In US English, “honoring” (no “u”) is standard.
- In UK or Australia English, “honouring” (with a “u”) is correct.
Honor and honour are two spellings of the same noun or verb. The spelling depends on the type of English.
- In American English, you use ‘Honor Degree
- In British English, you use ‘Honour Degree’ instead.
The term “Honor” in the Oxford English Dictionary means morality, integrity, and decent character. It involves the respect accorded to someone as a result of proper conduct, which is followed by approval from others due to positive values exhibited by the former.
