- 2-minute read
- 19th March 2020
Spelling Tips: Grey or Gray?
‘Grey’ and ‘gray’ are two different spellings of the same word. But should you be writing about a ‘grey wolf’ or a ‘gray wolf’? Are your main character’s eyes ‘grey’ or ‘gray’? In this post, we will look at when to use each spelling.
British English vs. American English: Grey or Gray?
The question of which spelling to use mostly comes down to dialect:
- In British English, the standard spelling is usually ‘grey’.
- In American English, the standard spelling is almost always ‘gray’.
Both spellings refer to the colour between black and white, but the ‘grey’ spelling is the one to use when in the UK and for most other English dialects, including Australian English. The only exception is US English:
British English: The grey dress shrank in the wash.
Australian English: The grey dress shrank in the wash.
American English: The gray dress shrank in the wash.
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
To remember this, you can keep in mind that spelling ‘grey’ with an ‘e’ is favoured in England, while ‘gray’ with an ‘a’ is standard in America.
Exceptions: Proper Names, Fish and Science
There are three situations where you would use ‘gray’ in British English:
- Proper names (e.g. The Portrait of Dorian Gray)
- The gray (i.e. a scientific unit of measurement)
- The grayling (i.e. a type of fish)
In these cases, we’re not referring to the colour ‘grey’ any more. And as such, it would be incorrect to use the ‘e’ spelling, even if we were using British English. Similarly, though, we would always spell things like ‘Earl Grey tea’ or ‘greyhound’ with an ‘e’, even if we were using American English.
Summary: Grey or Gray?
While both refer to the colour between black and white, there is a key difference between these spellings:
- Grey is the standard spelling in British English.
- Gray is the standard spelling in American English.
The only exceptions in British English are when we’re not referring to the colour ‘grey’ (e.g. if someone’s surname is ‘Gray’ or the scientific unit of measurement known as a ‘gray’). In every other case, ‘grey’ will be correct if you’re writing for a UK audience. If you’d like to be sure your spelling is perfect, though, why not submit a document for proofreading?
