List of British English words not used in American English

See also main article: American and British English differences

For phrases in Britain that have no equivalent in America see Britishisms

BritishAmerican
abseilrappel (to descend on a rope)
advocatelawyer (distinction in Scots law)
aerialantenna; interchangeable in American English
arse* ass* (buttocks)
barristerlawyer (distinction in English law)
black puddingblood sausage
"bird" (woman)"chick"
blinkersblinders
"bloody"*(for example, "This bloody car won't start.")"damned", poss. contraction of blasphemy "by Our Lady".
bollocks*"balls"* (testicles)
to "bonk"*to have sexual intercourse
bonnet (of a car)hood
boot (of a car)trunk
bracessuspenders (means something else in Britain - see appropriate list)
buggerysodomy
bugger offleave
bum bagfanny pack
candy flosscotton candy
concessiondiscount
(potato) crisps(potato) chips
crumpeta porous griddle cake, eaten toasted with butter and jam, English muffin
"crumpet"*one or more attractive women.
current accountchecking account
dinner jackettuxedo
dodgysuspicious
"dosh"money
draughtscheckers
dustbin trash can
engaged tone busy signal
ex-directoryunlisted (phone number)
fairy cakecupcake
flatapartment
fortnightTwo weeks.
gearboxautomobile transmission
"gooseberry" (third person who intrudes on an intimate situation)"third wheel"
green fingersgreen thumb
high street (Scots)main street
hosepipegarden hose
knickerspanties
laundrettelaundromat
leisure suitbusiness suit
lift (noun)elevator
lorrytruck (interchangeable in British English)
loudhailerbullhorn
mains power (or "the mains")house current, "the AC", "the wall"
mathsmath
MD (managing director)CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
mobile (phone)cell phone
motorwayfreeway
naffuncool, useless
naff offleave
nappydiaper
oilseed raperapeseed oil, canola
petrolgasoline
"plonker" (popularised by Only Fools and Horses)fool
"ponce" (derogatory term, usually for a male)pimp (mainly northern English usage), fop, or homosexual (non-complimentary). Can also be used to refer to someone with airs and graces.
to "ponce up"to improve the appearance of something or someone
to "ponce off"to help oneself to something uninvited - e.g. mind if I ponce a fag off you? (i.e. helping myself to a cigarette - plenty of scope for misunderstanding there!)
poof/poofter* "faggot" (homosexual, not complimentary)
prambaby carriage, contraction of perambulator.
puddingdessert, often stodgy, or a main course dish of a stodgy nature, e.g. steak and kidney pudding
queueline (for waiting in)
"randy""horny" (interchangeable in British English)
ring someone call someone (interchangeable in British English)
roundabout (in the road)traffic circle; rotary. (Roundabout is used in some parts of the US, including on signs)
roundabout (fairground ride)carousel
to rubbishto verbally discredit.
sconebiscuit
setteecouch (interchangeable in British English)
"slag"*"slut"* (promiscuous woman) (interchangeable in British English)
to "slag off"to speak in a depreciating way about someone or something
"snogging"kissing, "making out"
solicitorlawyer (distinct from an advocate in Scots Law or a barrister in English law)
spanner wrench
sticking plaster, Elastoplast bandage, Band-Aid
ta (usually spoken rather than written)thanks
"telly"TV (also used in UK)
text (often written txt, only used since about 1998)SMS
to "toss (off)"*to masturbate
"tosser"*fool
"tosspot"*fool
trapeziumtrapezoid
tubesubway
underground (noun)subway
waistcoatvest
to wank*to masturbate
"wanker"*a silly fool, a useless person
whilstwhile (see Words only used in British English in American and British English differences)

*denotes vulgar expression