Honor or Honour | Meaning, Spelling & Examples

Honor and honour are different spellings of the noun meaning ‘integrity’ or ‘privilege’ and the verb meaning ‘regard something with great respect’ or ‘fulfil an obligation’.

The spelling varies depending on whether you’re using UK or US English:

• In US English, ‘honor’ (no ‘u’) is standard.
• In UK English, ‘honour’ (with a ‘u’) is the correct spelling.

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Honoured or honored

The same spelling distinction carries over to related words, such as ‘honoured/honored’ and ‘honourable/honorable’.

• In US English, ‘honored’ and ‘honorable’ (no ‘u’) are standard.
• In UK English, ‘honoured’ and ‘honourable’ (with a ‘u’) are correct.

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Exception: Honorary

While ‘honour’ is the standard spelling in UK English, the related adjective honorary (meaning ‘given in recognition of achievement without the usual requirements’) is used in both US and UK English. This is also the case for ‘honorific’ and ‘honorarium’. Spelling these words with ‘-our-‘ is always wrong.

Other interesting language articles

If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, common mistakes, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ‘honor’ and ‘honour’?

Honor and honour mean the same thing. However, the spelling tends to vary depending on whether you’re writing UK or US English:

• In US English, ‘honor’ (no ‘u’) is correct.
• In UK English, ‘honour’ (with a ‘u’) is standard.

Is it ‘honouring’ or ‘honoring’?

Honouring and honoring are different spellings of the present participle of the word ‘honor/honour‘. The spelling tends varies depending on whether you’re writing UK or US English:

• In US English, ‘honoring’ (no ‘u’) is standard.
• In UK English, ‘honouring’ (with a ‘u’) is correct.