Quick answer: Both spellings are correct. “Humor” is the American English spelling, while “humour” is the British English spelling used in the UK, Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries. Choose based on your audience’s location.
These two spellings confuse writers constantly because they represent the exact same word with identical pronunciation and meaning. The only difference is regional convention, not correctness. As a copy editor who has corrected thousands of manuscripts, I see this particular mix-up in everything from corporate emails to academic papers, especially when writers aren’t sure which English variant their audience expects.
| Term | Meaning / When to use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Humor | American English spelling; use for US audiences, US publications, and American English content | “The comedian’s self-deprecating humor had the entire audience in stitches.” |
| Humour | British English spelling; use for UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth audiences | “British humour often relies on irony and understatement rather than obvious punchlines.” |
When to use humor
Use “humor” whenever you’re writing for an American audience or following American English conventions. This includes US-based websites, American publications, content marketing targeting US consumers, and any document that otherwise follows US spelling patterns (like “color” instead of “colour” or “favor” instead of “favour”).
Here are real examples I’ve corrected in my editing work:
Email mistake: “I appreciate your humour during the stressful merger negotiations.” → Corrected: “I appreciate your humor during the stressful merger negotiations.” (This was an email from a UK executive to a US-based team—the writer needed to match the recipient’s regional spelling.)
Resume error: “Known for my quick humour and ability to defuse tense client situations.” → Corrected: “Known for my quick humor and ability to defuse tense client situations.” (The candidate was applying for a position at a New York marketing firm.)
Social media post: “Monday morning humor: My coffee hasn’t kicked in yet and neither has my brain.” → Corrected: (This one was actually correct for a US audience, but I’ve seen the same post with “humour” from US brands trying to sound sophisticated—it comes across as inconsistent instead.)
According to Wikipedia’s article on humour, the word itself has Latin roots (from “umor,” meaning liquid or moisture), but the spelling divergence between American and British English developed in the 19th century as part of broader spelling reforms.
In American English, you’d write:
- “The office needs more humor to keep morale high.”
- “Her sense of humor is what makes her such a great public speaker.”
- “Dark humor isn’t appropriate for this family-friendly event.”
Stick with “humor” if your document also uses words like “color,” “labor,” “honor,” and “neighbor.” Consistency matters more than which variant you choose.
When to use humour
Use “humour” when writing for British English audiences, which includes the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and most other Commonwealth nations. This spelling follows the traditional pattern that retains the “u” after the “o” in words derived from Latin and French.
Real-world corrections I’ve made:
Cover letter mistake: “My humor and personality would be a great fit for your London office.” → Corrected: “My humour and personality would be a great fit for your London office.” (The applicant was writing to a UK-based financial services firm.)
Website copy error: A Canadian tourism board’s homepage read: “Experience the unique humor of Maritime Canada.” → Corrected: “Experience the unique humour of Maritime Canada.” (Canadian English follows British spelling conventions for this word.)
Academic paper: A graduate student submitted a thesis to an Australian university with “humor” throughout. → Corrected: Changed all instances to “humour” to match Australian English standards and the rest of the document’s spelling (which used “colour,” “behaviour,” etc.).
The British spelling pattern is consistent: if you’re writing “colour,” “favour,” “honour,” and “neighbour,” then you should also write “humour.” Mixing “humor” into a document that otherwise uses British spellings looks sloppy and inattentive to detail.
In British English contexts, you’d write:
- “The play’s dark humour wasn’t to everyone’s taste.”
- “She has a wicked sense of humour that keeps conversations lively.”
- “British humour often involves self-deprecation and irony.”
Canadian English can be tricky because it sometimes mixes American and British conventions, but for “humour,” the British spelling is standard in formal Canadian writing.
How to remember the difference
Here’s the memory trick I teach every new editor: “U” stands for “United Kingdom” and “Commonwealth.” If your audience is in a country that uses the “u” in “colour,” they’ll also use the “u” in “humour.”
Another way to think about it: American English drops unnecessary letters as part of its simplification philosophy. Noah Webster, who created the first American dictionary, deliberately removed the “u” from words like “humour,” “colour,” and “favour” to create a distinctly American spelling system. So if you’re writing for Americans, remember that they “omit” the “u”—and conveniently, the word “omit” doesn’t have a “u” in it either.
Here’s a practical editor’s insight: Check one word, apply the rule everywhere. If you’re unsure which spelling to use, look at any other -our/-or word in your document. If you see “color,” use “humor.” If you see “colour,” use “humour.” Never mix them in the same document unless you’re directly quoting someone who used the other spelling.
I also tell writers to set their spellchecker to the correct English variant before they start writing. In Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or any professional writing tool, you can select “English (United States)” or “English (United Kingdom)” and the software will flag inconsistencies automatically. This saves hours of manual proofreading.
Common mistakes and exceptions
The most frequent mistake I see isn’t choosing the wrong spelling—it’s mixing both spellings in the same document. This happens constantly when multiple people contribute to a project, when writers copy and paste from different sources, or when someone isn’t paying attention to regional consistency.
For example, I recently edited a corporate training manual where one chapter used “humor” and “color” while another used “humour” and “colour.” The document had been written by a US-based team and a UK-based team who never coordinated their spelling choices. It looked unprofessional and suggested the company didn’t have consistent editorial standards.
Another common error: using the wrong spelling for your platform’s audience. I’ve seen US companies write “humour” on their websites because they think it looks more sophisticated or intellectual. It doesn’t—it looks like a mistake to American readers. Similarly, British publications that use “humor” appear careless to their readers.
Here’s an exception that trips people up: derived words don’t always follow the same pattern. The adjective “humorous” is spelled the same way in both American and British English—neither version uses a “u” after the “o.” So you can write:
- American: “humor” → “humorous”
- British: “humour” → “humorous”
The same pattern applies to “glamour” (British) and “glamor” (American), but both use “glamorous” as the adjective. These inconsistencies are why you can’t just memorize one rule and apply it everywhere—you need to check each word family.
According to the Wikipedia entry on what makes spelling correct, correctness in language is largely determined by convention and audience expectation rather than absolute rules. This is why both “humor” and “humour” are correct—they’re each correct within their own regional context.
One more exception: quoted material. If you’re quoting someone who used a different spelling, keep their original spelling even if it doesn’t match the rest of your document. For instance, if you’re writing in American English but quoting a British author who wrote “humour,” leave it as “humour” in the quotation. Add “[sic]” only if the spelling is genuinely wrong, not just regionally different.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “humour” or “humor” more correct?
Neither is more correct than the other. Both spellings are equally valid; the right choice depends entirely on whether you’re writing for an American English audience (use “humor”) or a British English audience (use “humour”).
Which spelling does Canada use?
Canadian English typically uses “humour” (the British spelling), along with other -our words like “colour” and “favour.” However, Canadian English can be inconsistent in informal contexts, so always match the spelling convention of the specific organization or publication you’re writing for.
What about “humorous”—does that have a “u”?
No. The adjective “humorous” is spelled the same way in both American and British English, without a “u” after the “o.” This is true even though British English uses “humour” for the noun form.
Should I use “humor” or “humour” on social media?
Use the spelling that matches your target audience’s location. If you’re a US brand posting on Instagram, use “humor.” If you’re a UK company tweeting to British followers, use “humour.” Consistency with your audience’s expectations matters more on social media than in any other context because errors are immediately visible and can damage credibility.
Can I use both spellings in the same document?
No, not unless you’re directly quoting sources that use different spellings. Mixing “humor” and “humour” in the same document looks careless and suggests poor editing. Pick one variant based on your primary audience and stick with it throughout, including in related words like “color/colour” and “favor/favour.”
Susan Robinson is a seasoned language expert with over 15 years of experience specializing in English word comparisons. With a Ph.D. in English Literature from Oxford University, Susan possesses an in-depth understanding of language nuances and usage. Her academic journey revealed the profound impact of word choice on effective communication, fueling her passion for this niche field. Prior to joining WhichWordHub, Susan taught advanced ESL courses, where she developed innovative methods to clarify word distinctions for non-native speakers. At WhichWordHub, she is dedicated to crafting comprehensive guides that deconstruct complex language concepts into easily digestible information. Her articles often delve into common language pitfalls and provide practical advice on vocabulary enhancement. Susan’s goal is to foster a deeper appreciation for word precision and aid readers in mastering the art of eloquent expression.