The English Dialect Project

Communicating in an English-speaking country can be challenging...

English dictionaries can only get you so far, when there are many differences between dialects (such as British English and American English).
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Sometimes a different word is used locally for an object that you thought you knew the word for. These are not "slang" words, they are simply the most commonly used word within an English-speaking country (or large geographic region, such as the United Kingdom).

The English Dialect Project is a convenient reference directory of commonly used words in AUSTRALIAN English, AMERICAN English, and BRITISH English. Images are displayed for every object (or concept) - so that you can be sure you are communicating clearly, with anyone who is speaking one of these three English dialects.

We also recommend using the "search" tool below, perhaps to look up an unfamiliar word that you heard (e.g. when you were watching Bluey).

A black and white outline style cartoon, showing a man and two women who are having a conversation, the speech bubbles above their heads have abstract scribbles instead of real words.
Image generated by DALL·E 2 for this website.

COMMONLY USED WORDS in 3 english dialects

Reference Image

Description of the object (or concept)

Australian
English

American
English

British
English

A large passenger jet flying through a blue sky.
A powered flying vehicle with fixed wings and a weight greater than that of the air it displaces, designed to be supported in flight by dynamic lift. Operated by either commercial airlines or private pilots.
The flag of Australia
aeroplane
The flag of the USA
airplane
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
aeroplane
Two arrows point towards each other to form a circular shape, with both arrows pointing anti-clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Moving or turning in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock; also spelled "anticlockwise" or "counterclockwise".
The flag of Australia
anti-clockwise
The flag of the USA
counter-clockwise
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
anti-clockwise
A dirt road winding through a forest where the trees have bright orange and red foliage.
The season between summer and winter, characterized by cooler temperatures, shorter days, and the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees.
The flag of Australia
autumn
The flag of the USA
fall
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
autumn
A person's hand holding a digital payment processing console (i.e. a credit card reader) that is attached to a cell phone..
Before you pay for a meal (for example at a restaurant), this is the itemized list of the due cost - often printed on a piece of paper. Example "May I have the bill/check please, waiter?". NOTE: in American English, "bill" also means a paper note of money, for example "dollar bill". NOTE: see also "electric bill".
The flag of Australia
bill
The flag of the USA
check
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
bill
A white bowl on a wooden table, full of assorted buscuits or cookies.
A category of sweet baked desserts. A single item (such as a chocolate chip cookie or biscuit) is shaped like a disc, or another flattened shape.
The flag of Australia
biscuit
The flag of the USA
cookie
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
biscuit
A woman is sitting in the back of a car, looking at a map.
The back storage compartment (or area) of a vehicle such as a car.
The flag of Australia
boot
The flag of the USA
trunk
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
boot
A cityscape with tall buildings behind a green grass park: the skyline of Chicago, USA.
Typically the commercial and financial hub of a city or town, where most of the major businesses, government offices, and other important institutions are located. It is usually characterized by high-density development, tall buildings, and a concentration of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. May also include residential neighborhoods, entertainment districts, and other attractions. NOTE: See also "Main Street / High Street".
The flag of Australia
CBD: central business district
The flag of the USA
downtown
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
city centre or town centre
A road is flanked on both sides with diagonal parking spaces that are filled with parked cars.
A ground surface area, usually divided into individual spaces, intended for parking motor vehicles. Could be outside, or under a building structure. NOTE: A building with several levels for parking cars is called a "parking garage" in American English, and a "multi-storey car park" in British and Australian English.
The flag of Australia
car park (& multi-storey car park)
The flag of the USA
parking lot (& parking garage)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
car park (& multi-storey car park)
A Sikh man wearing a turban in a white lab coat, is standing in front of a computer and a wall of prescription medications.
A store or shop where medicinal drugs are dispensed and sold. Often there are additional health and wellness products for sale in the store/shop.
The flag of Australia
chemist
The flag of the USA
pharmacy
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
chemist's or pharmacy
A person holding a paper bank cheque.
A paper document used for making a monetary payment. NOTE: American English also uses "check" for the object which is a "bill" in British and Australian English, as well as for the symbol which is a "tick" in British and Australian English.
The flag of Australia
cheque
The flag of the USA
check
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
cheque
A woman's hair and eyebrows are visible, with the the rest of her face covered by a white comforter or duvet.
A bed covering used for warmth, either on top of blankets or instead of blankets. Usually has a removable cover that is washable (example: a "duvet cover" or "doona cover"). This item is specifically not a quilt.
The flag of Australia
doona
The flag of the USA
comforter
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
duvet
A market stall with several open containers of different types of eggplant or aubergine. All the vegetables are purple, some also have white stripes.
A vegetable, usually with shiny purple and/or white skin and a green stalk. The British English word "aubergine" comes from French, and is sometimes still used in Australia.
The flag of Australia
eggplant (or aubergine)
The flag of the USA
eggplant
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
aubergine
A paper energy bill with large red printed words "past due".
A written statement of money that you owe for electricity or energy services that have been provided to you. NOTE: see also "bill / check".
The flag of Australia
electric bill
The flag of the USA
light bill (or electricity bill)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
utility bill (or power bill)
A large multi-unit residental apartment building, with blue sky in the background.
A home living space in a subdivided building (for an individual, housemates, or a family). For example, "a block of flats" vs. "an apartment building".
The flag of Australia
flat
The flag of the USA
apartment
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
flat
A city street, focussed on the sidewalk or footpath, with a motion-blurred bus driving down the street.
The concrete strip next to a street or road, for pedestrians to walk on.
The flag of Australia
footpath
The flag of the USA
sidewalk
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
pavement
A close view of the control button panel in an elevator or lift, with a person's hand pushing the button labelled "L" with a star symbol.
The level of a building that is at or near ground level, and typically used as the main entrance or reception area.
The flag of Australia
ground floor
The flag of the USA
first floor
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
ground floor
A happy woman floats in a swimming pool, between huts that have palm frond thatched roofs.
To travel away from your home - this is a stay of at least one night in another location.
The flag of Australia
holiday
The flag of the USA
vacation
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
holiday
A couple hugging outside under some trees, both wearing knitted woollen sweaters or pullovers.
A long sleeved item of clothing: a knitted or fleece garment for the top part of the body, which is pulled over the head to wear it. Usually does not have a hood or collar.
The flag of Australia
jumper
The flag of the USA
sweater (or pullover)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
jumper (or pullover)
A featureless exterior wall, with a lit opening for elevator or lift doors, and a sign that indicates directions to airport gates.
An electric powered car (like a small room) that moves in a vertical shaft to carry passengers or freight between the levels of a multistory building.
The flag of Australia
lift
The flag of the USA
elevator
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
lift
A home bathroom with a toilet and a sink.
The commonly used word for any room containing a single toilet or multiple toilets in stalls.
The flag of Australia
loo or dunny (or toilet)
The flag of the USA
bathroom (or toilet)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
loo or water closet (or toilet)
A main street of a city, showing pedestrians walking in the street between shopping stores, and a church at the far end of the street.
Typically the primary road in a town or city that contains the main commercial area, including shops, restaurants, and other businesses. NOTE: see also "CBD / city centre / downtown".
The flag of Australia
main street
The flag of the USA
main street
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
high street
A person's hand holding a cell phone or mobile phone.
A mobile phone that operates using cellular network technology, allowing for wireless communication over long distances.
The flag of Australia
mobile phone
The flag of the USA
cell phone
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
mobile phone
A motorcycle or motorbike parked on an empty road that winds through a forest.
A road vehicle with two wheels, driven by an engine, with one seat for the driver (and often a seat for a passenger behind the driver).
The flag of Australia
motorbike
The flag of the USA
motorcycle
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
motorbike or motorcycle
A baby laying on a blanket getting her diaper or nappy changed.
A piece of absorbent material (cloth or manufactured materials), which is wrapped around a baby's bottom and between its legs.
The flag of Australia
nappy
The flag of the USA
diaper
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
nappy
A woman is standing in a cluttered store of clothing and art and homewares, looking through a full rack of clothing.
A shop / store that sells used things such as clothes, books, and furniture - often in order to raise funds for a charitable cause.
The flag of Australia
op shop (opportunity shop)
The flag of the USA
thrift store
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
charity shop
A man is at standing at the pump of a gas station or petrol station, filling up his car with fuel.
The fossil fuel which is commonly used by passenger vehicles such as cars.
The flag of Australia
petrol
The flag of the USA
gasoline (gas)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
petrol
A dark room with a row of poker machines or slot machines, with an empty chair next to each lit up machine.
An electrical and mechanical gambling device that features three or more reels (or cylinders) with various symbols on them. The player inserts money into the machine and then pulls a lever or presses a button, which causes the reels to spin. If the symbols line up in a certain way when the reels stop, the player wins a prize. Machines are often in casinos, and sometimes in pubs or bars.
The flag of Australia
poker machine (or pokies)
The flag of the USA
slot machine
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
fruit machine
A queue or line of people standing and waiting to board a jet plane.
A group of people waiting or standing in single file. For example, people are waiting "in a queue" or "in line" to order food, or to buy a ticket.
The flag of Australia
queue
The flag of the USA
line
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
queue
A person's hand holding a green bag of trash or rubbish.
Waste material or single-use packaging that is no longer useful or desirable, and is typically thrown away or disposed of. The most prevalent words for waste receptacles are "rubbish bin" and "trash can".
The flag of Australia
rubbish, rubbish bin
The flag of the USA
trash, trash can
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
rubbish, rubbish bin
A large empty metal shopping trolley or shopping cart outside a supermarket.
A large basket (usually metal) with four small wheels, used for grocery shopping at a supermarket.
The flag of Australia
shopping trolley
The flag of the USA
shopping cart
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
shopping trolley
A flat green pea pod hangs from a branch of a growing pea plant.
A type of garden pea picked very young, so young that the pod is still flat and the peas have barely developed. The entire pod is edible - hence the British English phrase "mange-tout" means "eat-all" (adapted from French).
The flag of Australia
snow pea (or snap pea)
The flag of the USA
snow pea (or sugar snap pea)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
mange-tout
A pair of legs dangling off a cliff above an ocean beach, with feet wearing a pair of flip-flops or thongs.
A type of light sandal, typically worn as a form of inexpensive and casual footwear. They consist of a flat sole held loosely on the foot by a Y-shaped strap known as a toe thong that passes between the first and second toes and around both sides of the foot. A pair of flip-flops or thongs (singular = flip-flop or thong). NOTE: a "thong" in American English is the same as a "G-string" underwear in Australian English and British English.
The flag of Australia
thongs
The flag of the USA
flip-flops
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
flip-flops
A mark or symbol (✓, ✔) that indicates a red check mark or tick in one of three check boxes on a piece of paper.
A mark or symbol (✓, ✔) - used primarily to indicate the concept "yes" or "done", often in a checklist with multiple ticks/checks.
The flag of Australia
tick
The flag of the USA
check (check mark)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
tick
Two children laying on a bed under the covers, reading a book with a flashlight or torch.
A hand-held light with a directional beam, usually powered by batteries.
The flag of Australia
torch
The flag of the USA
flashlight
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
torch
Four people against a white background, standing side by side and holding hands - the image is cropped to focus on their long pants or trousers.
An outer garment covering the body from the waist/hips to the ankles, with a separate part for each leg. NOTE: "pants" means underwear in British English (and sometimes Australian English).
The flag of Australia
pants or trousers
The flag of the USA
pants (long pants)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
trousers or slacks
A series of three large semi trucks, driving down a road.
A large motor vehicle used to transport goods. Often has a separate cab car towing a trailer.
The flag of Australia
truck
The flag of the USA
truck
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
lorry
A red pick-up truck or ute with an attached cargo tray, parked in a parking lot.
A motor vehicle called a "pickup" which has a car with a cargo bed. Usually only 2-3 seats.
The flag of Australia
ute (utility vehicle)
The flag of the USA
truck (pick-up truck)
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
pick-up (pick-up truck)
A set of five vegetables are sitting on a white table, three yellow and two green zucchinis or courgettes.
The zucchini or courgette (or baby marrow) is a summer squash; a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested in an immature state to be edible. Can be eaten raw or cooked.
The flag of Australia
zucchini
The flag of the USA
zucchini
The flag of the UK (the union jack)
courgette
A cartoon face of a sad cat that is crying
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About the English Dialect Project

Hi there! This project was created as a free resource to help learners and translators of the English language, as well as people who have relocated to a different English-speaking region. Images on this website are from copyright-free sources.

The English Dialect Project does not include the dialects' similar words that are spelled differently (e.g. with a "z" or an "s"), but it does include words that are spelled SO differently that the number of syllables in the word has changed (e.g. "aeroplane" vs. "airplane").

The content of this website has been curated by me: Claire. Many of these words I have learned during my years living in USA and in Australia. I'm a digital product designer based in New York, and sometimes I take on freelance web design projects - if you're interested in hiring me (or contributing to this project), please contact me via LinkedIn.

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