Color vs Colour: which spelling should you use?

Question

When considering Color vs Colour. I'm just wondering when you should use which spelling and why there are these two spellings for the same word?

Possible duplicate of Is there any difference between "color" and "colour"? (Also, for usage guidance, see “ou” versus “o” in spelling words like “color”/“color”) — herisson, Jan 20 '16 at 15:58

rkchl · Answer 1 · 2016-01-20T15:29:14.443

1

Colour for the UK and color for the US.

(Colour is the better way ;-)

Its just the way different peoples start to spell words, that originate from the same word. Colour is older by about 200 years than to color. Most non US use 'colour' and depending on how you have your keyboard input settings, it may give error indication from either one.

edited Jan 20 '16 at 15:29

answered Jan 20 '16 at 15:23

rkchl

686

By implication is colour for the rest of the commonwealth as well? – Neil Meyer Jan 20 '16 at 16:31
Yes, I believe so, – rkchl Jan 20 '16 at 17:04

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 20 '16 at 15:32

As always, "Write for your reader." If your audience is in a country that speaks primarily BrEng, then use "colour." If your audience is in the United States, then use "color." Perhaps most importantly, be consistent in your spelling of the word within your document; i. e., never mix the two.

Color vs Colour: which spelling should you use?

2 Answers2