The ability to make others laugh is a universal treasure. But have you ever wondered how the words that describe this gift are spelled? Is it “humor” or “humour”? If you have ever wondered about this query, this blog is your answer.
Humor and humour are the same words with two different spellings. Humor is used more in American English, while humour is commonly used in all the other main varieties of English, especially in Australia and the UK.
These words differ in the spelling conventions used in different English-speaking regions and extend to the derivative participles—humored/humoured and humoring/humouring. To understand the appropriate use of the word, first, you need to know the actual meaning.
Meaning of Humor and Humour
The spelling of the word differs, but the meaning of ‘humor’ and ‘humour’ remains the same: the quality of being amusing. It refers to the capacity to laugh at something in which individuals recognise that it is humorous.
The difference between “humor” and “humour” is simply due to the speaker’s dialect choice. The term “humor” is used more frequently in the US (American English) than in the UK (British English). On the other hand, the word “humour” is frequently utilised in the UK as well as in other forms of the English language, like Australia.
What is the Difference Between Humor and Humour
| Humor | Humour | |
| Pronunciation | “HYOO-mer” | “HYOO-mer” |
| Spelling | US (Standard) | UK and Australia (Correct) |
| Definition | Refers to the quality of being amusing or comic. | Refers to the quality of being amusing or comic. |
| Phase Combination | Sense of humor or Dark humor | Good humour Or Out of humour |
| Examples | The comedian’s humor resonated with the audience. | British humour often involves dry wit and irony. |
| She appreciated his sense of humor. | Noheela is a nice woman with a great sense of humour. | |
| He showed flashes of humor to delight their audience. | Shayyan had the most incredible sense of humour and could destroy me with laughter. |
Other forms of Humor and Humour
The same spelling distinction applies to related words with ‘ed’ and ‘ing’, such as humored/humoured and humoring/humouring. Similarly, this difference extends to both languages.
In US English, “humored” and “humoring” (without “u”) are standard.
In Australian English, “humoured” and “humouring” (with a “u”) are correct.
Examples: Other forms of humor and humour in a sentence
- Shiza humored/humoured her husband by scolding him for telling a story he’d already told many times.
- I don’t mean to be rude, but I was humoring/humouring you when I said I enjoyed a lot!
Dialect Difference: US Vs Australia
US English: The answer to dialect difference lies in the type of English you are already using. In American English, ‘humor’ without ‘u’ is the top priority. This preference stems from the work of Noah Webster, an American lexicographer who advocated for simplified spelling in the early 19th century.
For Example:
- She maintains a good sense of humor even under pressure
- The stand-up comedian’s humor had the audience in stitches.
- Her writing style is full of humor, making even dry topics engaging
Australia English: Across other English-speaking countries like Australia, the word ‘humour’ with ‘u’ is used and considered correct. This spelling reflects the word’s Latin roots, “humor” (meaning “moisture”).
For Example:
- The sketch of the Mona Lisa relied on absurd humour to make it visible.
- He has a dry wit, and his humour is often delivered with a deadpan expression.
- The film’s humour is a delightful blend of slapstick and satire
Types of Humour with Examples
There are about 11 types of humour, and they can be categorised based on style and intent. Some of them are highlighted below:
- Slapstick: This category of Humour is also referred to as physical comedy, where humour is mostly brainless and triggered through actions and appearance instead of dialogues. Charlie Chaplin and The Three Stooges are the primary examples of this category.
- Wordplay: It includes puns, double entendres play, words, and other linguistic trickery to create humour. A classic example: “Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!”
- Self-Depreciating: This category involves putting yourself down to make others happy. It is mostly favourite for standup comedians to make loud laughter from the audience.
- Dark Humour: Sensitive and taboo content falls in this type of humorous category. Dark humour helps to deal with uncomfortable realities but requires careful handling. It can be learned with experience.
- Observational Humour: This category relates to everyday situations based on human quirks. It includes sitcoms and comic plays that are dependable on this type of humour.
Some Examples Of Humor Vs Humour
| Humor | Humour |
| This episode is insightful and full of humor. | This episode is insightful and full of humour. |
| Have a sense of humor! I was just being curious. | Have a sense of humour! I was just being curious. |
| Ahmad is often aggressive, but he seems to be in good humor today. | Ahmad is often aggressive but seems to be in good humour today. |
| Shayaan humors Ayesha by listening to her spoken word poetry. | Shayaan humours Ayesha by listening to her spoken word poetry. |
| His humor always tends to be sarcastic. | His humour always tends to be sarcastic. |
| The comedian’s humor makes the audience laugh loudly. | The comedian’s humour makes the audience laugh loudly. |
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The trick to Remember the Difference
Humor and humour are actually the same words but spelled in two different ways. So, choosing a particular word depends on your intended audience.
- If most of your readers will be British or your website is Australia-based, choose humour.
- If you are writing for a predominantly American audience, choose humor.
Since humour has an extra U, like the United Kingdom, saving humour for British audiences should be simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pronunciation for ‘humourous’ is the same in the US and UK English. It is pronounced ‘hyoo-muh-ruhs’
The word ‘humourous’ is spelt similarly in the UK and Australia. It is spelled as H-U-M-O-R-O-U-S.
The word humorist describes individual skills in creating and delivering humorous or amusing content. The content of humorist relates to writing, performance and other forms of expression. A humorist may use different categories like satire, wit and others to entertain their audiences. It also includes human behaviour and societal norms to foster laughter and reflection.
Humorous means some kind of activity to evoke laughter. It could be something funny or amusing activity that relies on playful language to entertain the audience.
There are four humours in Latin namely: “sanguis” (blood), “phlegma” (phlegm), “cholera” (yellow bile), and “melancholia” (black bile).
