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Is it humour or humor?

“Humour” vs. “Humor” (Which Spelling is Correct?)

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Dalia Y

BA, MA, Phil. Grammarflex's initial initiator and contributor.

Is it “humour” or “humor”?

Insofar as the noun and verb forms of humour/humor are spelled, which refers to “the quality in something that makes it funny; the ability to laugh at things that are funny”. The answer is straightforward, and it concerns regional spelling preferences:

👍🏼Usage Note
✓
The British audience appreciated the subtle humour in the play.
✓
The American author emphasized the importance of honor.
✗
The US company sent a bill for the labour performed.
✗
Her behavior was noted by the headmistress of the British school.

  • British English spells “humour” (with the “u”).
  • American English spells “humor” (without “u”).

Note: UK English is predominant across most English speaking countries worldwide; except, of course, for the United States. By and large, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of Caribbean countries conform to UK English spelling rules and conventions.

Other “-our”/”-or” words

Other words that share the “-our” / “-or” suffix and follow the same spelling convention:

UK English US English
favour favor
labour labor
behaviour behavior
honour honor
neighbour neighbor
humour humor

Other forms of humour/humor

Other verb/noun forms also conform to the same spelling rules based on US/UK English:

Part of speech Word
adverb humorously; humourlessly
adjective humourless

Sentences with humour/humor as a noun

It was a story full of gentle humour/humor.

She ignored his feeble attempt at humour/humor.

They failed to see the humour/humor of the situation.

I can’t stand people with no sense of humour/humor.

She has her very own brand of humour/humor.

Sentences with humour/humor as a verb

She thought it best to humour/humor him rather than get into an argument.

She will actually sit and watch them with me, to humour/humor me.

I know you don’t agree, but just humour/humor me.

💡Study Tip

The spelling of “humour” vs. “humor,” associate the “u” with the UK, where it’s spelled with a “u,” and remember that the US spelling omits the “u”.

Synonyms of humour/humor

  • funniness
  • drollery
  • comedy
  • humorousness
  • hilariousness
  • drollness
  • amusement
  • comicality
  • irony

Phrases with humour/humor

  • good sense of humour
  • ill humour
  • gallows humour (​jokes about unpleasant things like death)
  • aqueous humour (the clear liquid inside the front part of the eye)
  • vitreous humour (the clear substance inside the eye)

Origin of the word humor/humour

Etymonline on humour:

Mid-14c., “fluid or juice of an animal or plant,” from Old North French humour “liquid, dampness; (medical) humor; from Latin umor “body fluid”.

—Etymonline, humour.

Learn more about US English vs. UK English

Commonly misused words UK English vs. US English
former vs. latter burned or burnt?
bear with vs. bare with color or colour?
breathe or breath favorite vs. favourite
compliment vs. complement smelled or smelt?
effect vs. affect gray or grey?
elude or allude favor vs. favour
it’s or its analyze or analyse?

Sources

  1. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of humor.” Online Etymology Dictionary, Accessed 12 February, 2024.
  2. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, Accessed on 12 February, 2024. “aqueous humour“.

Work Sheet

Question 1 of 10

Which spelling of the word meaning “the quality in something that makes it funny” is generally used in British English and most other English-speaking countries outside the US?



According to the blog post, which country *primarily* uses the “humor” spelling without the ‘u’?



If you are writing for a document intended for a British audience, which spelling of the noun should you generally use?



The post mentions that other words with the -our/-or suffix follow the same US/UK pattern. Which pair correctly shows the UK spelling first, followed by the US spelling?



The study tip in the post suggests associating the ‘u’ in “humour” with which region to remember the correct spelling?



The US company sent a bill for the performed.



Her was noted by the headmistress of the British school.



The British audience appreciated the subtle in the play.



In the United States, they failed to see the of the situation.



If you are writing for a UK audience, it is polite to them by using their preferred spelling.





Frequently Asked Questions

Which spelling is correct?
+

The correct spelling depends entirely on the regional preference. “Humour” with a ‘u’ is correct in British English, while “humor” without the ‘u’ is correct in American English contexts.

Use “humour” or “humor” in the UK?
+

In the UK and most other English-speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, use the British spelling “humour” with a ‘u’. The post shows: “The British audience appreciated the.

Use “humour” or “humor” in the US?
+

In the United States, use the American English spelling “humor” without the ‘u’. The post states US spelling omits the ‘u’. Example: “The American author emphasized the importance of honor.”

Do other words differ like humour/humor?
+

Yes, the post notes that many other “-our” words in British English change to “-or” in American English. Examples given include favour/favor, labour/labor, behaviour/behavior, and honour/honor.

How can I remember the spelling?
+

The post provides a study tip: associate the ‘u’ in “humour” with the ‘U’ in UK English. This helps recall that the US spelling simply leaves the ‘u’ out.

Yash, D. "“Humour” vs. “Humor” (Which Spelling is Correct?)." Grammarflex, Jun 15, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/humour-vs-humor-which-spelling-is-correct/.

Sources

  1. 👍🏼Usage Note
  2. The British audience appreciated the subtle humour in the play.
  3. The American author emphasized the importance of honor.
  4. The US company sent a bill for the labour performed.
  5. Her behavior was noted by the headmistress of the British school.
  6. British English spells “humour” (with the “u”).
  7. American English spells “humor” (without “u”).
  8. Note: UK English is predominant across most English speaking countries worldwide; except, of course, for the United States. By and large, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of Caribbean countries conform to UK English spelling rules and conventions.
  9. Other “-our”/”-or” words
  10. Other words that share the “-our” / “-or” suffix and follow the same spelling convention:
  11. Other forms of humour/humor
  12. Other verb/noun forms also conform to the same spelling rules based on US/UK English:
  13. Part of speech
  14. humorously; humourlessly
  15. Sentences with humour/humor as a noun
  16. It was a story full of gentle humour/humor.
  17. She ignored his feeble attempt at humour/humor.
  18. They failed to see the humour/humor of the situation.
  19. I can’t stand people with no sense of humour/humor.
  20. She has her very own brand of humour/humor.
  21. Sentences with humour/humor as a verb
  22. She thought it best to humour/humor him rather than get into an argument.
  23. She will actually sit and watch them with me, to humour/humor me.
  24. I know you don’t agree, but just humour/humor me.
  25. 💡Study Tip
  26. The spelling of “humour” vs. “humor,” associate the “u” with the UK, where it’s spelled with a “u,” and remember that the US spelling omits the “u”.
  27. Synonyms of humour/humor
  28. humorousness
  29. hilariousness
  30. Phrases with humour/humor
  31. good sense of humour
  32. gallows humour (​jokes about unpleasant things like death)
  33. aqueous humour (the clear liquid inside the front part of the eye)
  34. vitreous humour (the clear substance inside the eye)
  35. Origin of the word humor/humour
  36. Etymonline on humour:
  37. Mid-14c., “fluid or juice of an animal or plant,” from Old North French humour “liquid, dampness; (medical) humor; from Latin umor “body fluid”.
  38. —Etymonline, humour.
  39. Learn more about US English vs. UK English
  40. Commonly misused words
  41. UK English vs. US English
  42. former vs. latter
  43. burned or burnt?
  44. bear with vs. bare with
  45. color or colour?
  46. breathe or breath
  47. favorite vs. favourite
  48. compliment vs. complement
  49. smelled or smelt?
  50. effect vs. affect
  51. gray or grey?
  52. elude or allude
  53. favor vs. favour
  54. it’s or its
  55. analyze or analyse?
  56. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of humor.” Online Etymology Dictionary, Accessed 12 February, 2024.
  57. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, Accessed on 12 February, 2024. “aqueous humour“.
  58. Question 1 of 10
  59. Which is grammatically correct?
  60. First option
  61. Second option
  62. What makes a sentence grammatically correct?
  63. Proper structure
  64. Right words
  65. Clear meaning
  66. Question 3: What is the main focus of this grammar content?
  67. Grammar rules
  68. Sentence structure
  69. Question 4: Which is most important for proper grammar?
  70. Correct spelling
  71. Proper structure
  72. Clear meaning
  73. Question 5: Grammar rules help with:
  74. Writing clearly
  75. Speaking correctly
  76. Understanding text
  77. Question 6: What is the main focus of this grammar content?
  78. Grammar rules
  79. Sentence structure
  80. Question 7: Which is most important for proper grammar?
  81. Correct spelling
  82. Proper structure
  83. Clear meaning
  84. Question 8: Grammar rules help with:
  85. Writing clearly
  86. Speaking correctly
  87. Understanding text
  88. Question 9: What is the main focus of this grammar content?
  89. Grammar rules
  90. Sentence structure
  91. Question 10: Which is most important for proper grammar?
  92. Correct spelling
  93. Proper structure
  94. Clear meaning
  95. Which aspect is most important when learning grammar?
  96. MemorizationPracticeReadingAll of the above
  97. How can you improve your grammar skills?
  98. Study rules onlyPractice with examplesIgnore mistakesSpeed reading
  99. Frequently Asked Questions
  100. What are literary devices? +
  101. Techniques writers use to enhance their writing and convey messages effectively.
  102. How do literary devices differ from rhetorical devices? +
  103. Literary devices are specific to creative writing, while rhetorical devices are broader.
  104. Why should I learn about literary devices? +
  105. They help you understand and appreciate literature more deeply.
  106. Can I use literary devices in my own writing? +
  107. Yes, they can make your writing more engaging and effective.
  108. What’s the best way to remember different devices? +
  109. Practice identifying them in texts you read regularly.

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