Here's a short dictionary of some of the more common differences in word usage between British English and American English, especially words that may be misunderstood. Other vocabulary differences will make you appear quaint, but the person to whom you are speaking will probably understand you.

British English	American English
Alsation	German Shepherd
acclimatise	acclimate
adopt	nominate
advert	ad, advertisement
aerial	antenna
air hostess	flight attendant
anti-clockwise	counter-clockwise
assessor	adjuster
athletics	sports
aubergine	eggplant
autunm	fall
bad form	bad manners
barrister	trial lawyer
bath	bathe
bathing costume	swimsuit
bedsitter	studio apartment
beetroot	beets
bellpush	doorbell
bill	check (restaurant payments), invoice
billion	trillion
bin liner	trash bag
biro	ballpoint (pen)
biscuit	cracker, cookie
blower	telephone
bonnet	hood (of a car)
bookseller	bookstore
bookshop	bookstore
boot sale	garage sale
boot	trunk (of a car)
borstal	reformatory
bowler	derby (hat)
box room	storage room
braces	suspenders
bread bin	bread box
breakdown van	tow truck
brooch	pin
budgerigar	parakeet
bundle	package
bursary	financial aid, scholarship
buttered eggs	scrambled eggs
c.v. (curriculum vitae)	resume
call box	telephone booth
came away	went away, left
candidature	candidacy
candyfloss	cotton candy
car smash	car crash
car-park	parking lot
car	automobile, auto, car
caravan	trailer/camper/mobile home
cashier	dishonorable discharge
casualty	hospital emergency room
cat mint	catnip
catsup	ketchup
centenary	bill
centennial	check
cha	tea
chambers	law offices
cheese biscuit	cracker
chemist shop	drug store, pharmacy
cheque	check
chicory	endive
child-minder	baby-sitter
chips	French fries
chit	memo or voucher
cinema	movies, movie theater
civil servant	government employee
climber	vine, ivy
clocked in	checked in
closet	conference room
coach	bus
cock(erel)	rooster
cold store	freezer
consultant	department head
cooker	stove
copper	cop, officer
cornet	(ice-cream) cone
cotton	thread
council house	housing project
courgettes	zucchini
crisps	potato chips
cross	angry
cupboard	closet
curtains	drapes
cushion	pillow (couch)
custard	pudding
cutting	clipping (e.g., from a newspaper)
dash	tip, gratuity
diagonally opposite	kitty corner
diary	calendar
dinner jacket	tux, tuxedo
dinner jacket	tuxedo
disorientated	disoriented
double bend	S-curve
draughts (game)	checkers
drawing pin	thumb tack
drink	beverage
driving wheel	steering wheel
dummy	baby's pacifier
dungarees	overalls
dust bin	garbage can, trash can
engaged (telephone)	busy signal, line is busy
engagement	appointment
estate agent	realtor, real estate agent
estate car	station wagon
extension lead	extension cord (electric)
facia pocket	glove compartment
factor	agent
faculty	department
fags	cigarettes
fairy cake	cup cake
fen	marsh
fill in, fill up	complete, fill out
film	movie
fir apple	pine cone
fitted carpet	wall to wall carpeting (abbreviated w/w)
fizzy drink	soda, pop
flagstaff	flagpole
flashers	turn signals
flat	apartment
flex	electric cord
float	petty cash
flyover	overpass
flyscreen	window screen
fondle	handle, touch
football	rugby, soccer
footway	sidewalk
fortnight	two weeks
fount	font, typeface
franking machine	postage meter
free phone	toll free
fringe	bangs
frisson	shiver
full age	legal age
full stop	period
funeral parlour	funeral home
fused	burnt out
gangway	aisle
gaol	jail
gear box	transmission
gear lever	gear shift
geyser	water heater
ginnel	alley
glass	mirror
goggle-box	boob tube
good few	good many, large number
grammar school	high school
griff	news
ground floor	first floor
gum	glue or paste
gum boots	rubber boots
garden	yard
got	gotten
grill	broil
hair wash	shampoo
hairclip	barrette
handbag	purse
hard lines	bad luck
headlamps	headlights
headmaster	principal
held up	delayed (held up means robbed in American)
hide	leather
hire car	rental car
holiday	vacation
hooter	horn
hoover	vacuum-cleaner, vacuum
ice lolly	Popsicle
in-built	built-in
infant's school	kindergarten
interval	intermission
invalid chair	wheel chair
ironmonger	hardware store
jam	jelly
jelly	Jell-O, jello, gelatin
jotter	notebook
jug	pitcher
juggernaut	tractor trailer, big rig
jumper	sweater
key money	security deposit
knickers	panties (women's underwear)
knock up	waken or rouse (means impregnate in American)
laddering my tights	a run in my stocking
ladybird	ladybug
lag	insulation
lead (dogs)	leash
lead (electric)	cord, wire
lending library	public library
life assurance	life insurance
lettings	apartments for rent
library ticket	library card
lift	elevator
loads lift	freight elevator
lollipop lady	crossing guard
long-case clock	grandfather clock
loose covers	slipcovers
loo	bathroom
lorry	truck
m and r	um and er, hem and haw
macintosh	raincoat
mack	raincoat
mad	insane (means angry in American)
made redundant	laid off, furloughed
maize cob	corn on the cob
maize	corn
manual	stick-shift
marrow	squash
match	game
maths	math
mean	stingy
means test	need analysis
mend	repair
metalled road	paved road
midday	noon
midden	garbage dump
milliard	billion
mince	hamburger
minced meat	ground beef
moggy	cat, kitty
monkey nuts	peanuts
motor spirits	fuel, gas, gasoline
motorway	highway
muesli	granola
muslins	linens
nail varnish	nail polish
nappies, nappy	diapers, diaper
net curtains	sheers
nose to tail	bumper to bumper
note	bill (money)
notecase	wallet
noughts and crosses	tic-tac-toe
number plate	license plate
oblique	slash (punctuation)
on-cost	overhead expense
open university	extension courses, distance education
outfitter	clothing store
pack of cards	deck of cards
page (hotel)	bell boy
pants	underwear
paper handkerchief	tissue
pass out	graduate
patience	solitaire
pavement	sidewalk
peep-bo	peek-a-boo
peg	clothespin
perspex	Plexiglas
petrol	gas, gasoline
pickled cucumbers	pickles
pictures	movies
piece-tin	lunch box
pissed	drunk
pleader	lawyer, attorney
ponce	pimp
pop round	come by
porridge	oatmeal
post	mail
post free	postpaid
postcode	zip code
postoffice directory	telephone directory
power cut	power failure
preggers	pregnant
press man	journalist, reporter
private address	home address
professor	conductor (orchestra)
programme	show
proofed	waterproofed
pub	bar, saloon
punt	gamble (means kick or skip in American)
purse	pocketbook
pylon	utility pole
paraffin	kerosene
pillar-box	mailbox
plait	braid
pneumatic drill	jackhammer
pop	soda
power point	outlet, socket
pram (perambulator)	baby buggy, stroller
queue	line
quit	behave
radiogram	stereo
ramble	walk, stroll
rate	tax
read out	read aloud
reader's ticket	library card
ready, steady, go!	ready, set, go!
recap	retread
reckoning machine	cash register
recorded delivery	return receipt requested, certified/registered mail
redundant	laid off
remould	retread
return ticket	round-trip ticket
reverse charge	collect call
ring pull	a can's tab
ring up	call
roll neck	turtle neck
round	sandwich
roup	auction
rubber	eraser (means condom in American)
rubbish bin	trash can
rubbish	trash, garbage
rug	blanket
rung	called, telephoned
running knot	slip knot
rusticated	suspended (punishment)
sales assistant	sales clerk
saloon (vehicles)	sedan
salt beef	corned beef
salt pot	salt shaker
sandpit	sandbox
scent	perfume
scone	biscuit
scrape	butter or margarine, thinly spread
scurf	dandruff
self-drive car	rental car
semi-detached house	duplex
service lift	dumbwaiter
serviette	napkin
sherbet	sorbet
shop gazing	window shopping, browsing
shop	store
shopping trolley	shopping cart
side (billiards)	english
sideboard	buffet
silencer (vehicles)	muffler
silent number	unlisted number
single ticket	one-way ticket
singlet	T-shirt
six-over-six	20-20 vision
sixth form	twelfth grade, senior year in high school
sleeping car	pullman car
slice	spatula
slide	barrette (hair)
slip	men's underwear (means women's undergarments in American)
smart	well-dressed (means clever in American)
snowslip	avalanche
soda (water)	club soda
solicitor	attorney, lawyer
spanner	wrench
spatula	tongue depressor
speciality	specialty
spirits	alcohol (liquor, brandy, whiskey)
spool	cassette, tape, reel, roll
squails	tiddlywinks
squib	firecracker
stance	taxi stand
stop late	stay late
stop open	stay open
strapping	bandages
subject	citizen
suction cleaner	vacuum cleaner
sugar soap	paint remover
sun-filter cream	sun-screen lotion
surgery	doctor's office (means operating room in American)
surname	last name, family name
suspenders	garters
sweater	sweatshirt
swede	rutabaga
sweet oil	olive oil
sweeties, sweets	candy
swiss bun	danish
swiss roll	jelly roll
swot	study hard, cram
table a proposal	discuss a proposal (opposite of American meaning)
tablets	pills, medicine
take a decision	make a decision
take with	take out, to go (fast-food restaurant)
take-away	carry-out (fast-food restaurant)
tap	faucet
tartan	plaid
taxi rank	taxi stand
telephone kiosk/box	telephone booth
telephonist	telephone operator
telly, tele	television, TV (pronounced tee-vee)
tick	check mark
tights	pantyhose
timeous, timous	early, timely
tin	can
tinkle	telephone call (means urinate in American)
tissue	kleenex (used generically)
to time	on time
toffee	taffy
toilet	restroom, washroom
toothful	sip
torch	flashlight
tot	add, calculate a total
touch wood	knock on wood
tower block	skyscraper
town centre	downtown
tradesman	storekeeper
trainers	sneakers
tram	trolley, streetcar
transfer	decal
transport	transportation
treacle sponge	gingerbread
treacle	molasses
trolley	shopping cart
trousers	pants
trunk call	toll call, long distance call
tube of candy	roll of candy
tube station	subway station
tunny	tuna fish
turn off	discharge, fire
turn out a room	thoroughly clean a room
underground	subway
undertaker	mortician
unmade track	dirt road
vacuum flask	thermos bottle
vest	T-shirt, undershirt
victualler	innkeeper
waist coat	vest
wall safe	food cupboard or cabinet in the kitchen
wardrobe	closet
water ice	sherbet
white coffee	coffee with cream
whole time	full time
wind cheater	windbreaker
windscreen	windshield
wire wool	steel wool
zed	the letter zee (z)
zebra crossing	crosswalk, pedestrian crossing (ped xing)
zip	zipper

Other English Differences

You may also encounter British English words which have a significantly different definition in American English. For example, in American English the noun "slip" is used to refer to women's undergarments, not men's underwear.

Try to avoid using any form of slang, since it is likely to be misunderstood or even be found offensive. Also avoid using the words "ass", "buns", "fag", "fanny", and "queer", which have pejorative meanings in American English.

The word "Asian" means a person of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Philippino, or Vietnamese origin in American English. (In British English it refers to people from Bangladesh, India, or Pakistan.) Likewise, the word "Indian" refers to an indigenous American in American English, not necessarily someone from India. The word "Indian" is somewhat ambiguous in American English, so the word "Native American" is preferred.