Jewelry or Jewellery?

by Craig Shrives
The Quick Answer
What is the difference between jewelry and jewellery?

Jewelry is the American spelling.
Jewellery is the non-American spelling.
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jewelry or jewellery?

Jewelry or Jewellery?

Writers are often unsure whether to use jewelry or jewellery to denote decorative, usually valuable, personal ornaments.

Jewelry is the preferred spelling in American English, while jewellery is the preferred spelling in British English.

Below are some examples of jewellery in British publications.
  • A woman was robbed at knifepoint by a man who came to her home to view a piece of jewellery she had advertised over the internet. ()
    • (This is from a BBC article.)
  • If you keep it subtle and meaningful, men can (just about) wear
    jewellery. ()
    • (This is from the British newspaper The Guardian.)
Below are some examples of jewelry in American publications.
  • One of his favorite gifts is a jeweled white robe presented by Elvis Presley, adorned with the words "The People's Champion." ()
    • (This is from CNN.)
  • The police have arrested a man in connection with the midday robbery last week of a jewelry store in Manhattan's diamond district ()
    • (This is from The New York Times.)

A Video Summary

Watch a video showing 10 big differences between British English and American English.

Interactive Exercise
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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? Ms., Miss, or Mrs? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are nouns? List of easily confused words