Labor or Labour: Which Spelling Is Correct? Meaning and Examples

Is it labor or labour? Both spellings are correct, but the choice depends on the variety of English you use.

Labor is standard in American English, while labour is standard in British English.

Both have the same meaning and can be used as nouns or verbs.

Quick Answer:

• Labor: American English spelling.
• Labour: British English spelling.
• Meaning: Both refer to work, effort, workers, or the process of giving birth.
• Important exception: Laborious is spelled this way in both varieties.

What Do Labor and Labour Mean?

The phrase labor or labour meaning refers to the same word with two regional spellings.

As a noun, it can mean physical or mental work, effort, workers as a group, or childbirth. As a verb, it means working hard or with difficulty.

Examples:

• The project required a lot of labor.
• The company is facing higher labour costs.
• She went into labor early.
• The workers laboured through the night.

Labor vs. Labour: US and UK Spelling

Labor and labour are different spellings, not different words. American English often uses -or where British English uses -our, as in color/colour and honor/honour.

Choose the spelling that matches your audience and use it consistently. Neither spelling is wrong when it follows the appropriate regional convention.

When Should You Use Labor or Labour?

Use labor for US-focused academic, business, legal, medical, and general writing. Choose labour when following British English conventions.

For example, an American company might discuss labor costs, while a British company would usually write labour costs. The same distinction applies to labor market/labour market and child labor/child labour.

When using a country’s organization or official name, preserve its established spelling. Examples include the U.S. Department of Labor, the UK Labour Party, and the Australian Labor Party.

Important Exception: Laborious

Laborious and laboriously are spelled without u in both American and British English.

• Correct: The process was laborious.
• Incorrect: The process was labourious.

The British spelling labour does not mean that every related word takes -our.

Six Examples of Labor and Labour

1. US: The company reduced labor costs.
2. UK: The company reduced labour costs.
3. US: She went into labor earlier than expected.
4. UK: She went into labour earlier than expected.
5. US: The workers labored through the night.
6. UK: The workers laboured through the night.

Memory Trick

Remember: US = labor; UK = labour. British English keeps the u in words such as colour and honour. However, laborious keeps its spelling in both varieties.

Mini Quiz

1. Which spelling is standard in US English: labor or labour?
2. Which spelling is standard in UK English?
3. Is labourious correct?
4. Should official organization names be changed to match your spelling style?
5. Do labor and labour have different meanings?

Answers: 1. Labor; 2. Labour; 3. No; 4. No; 5. No.

FAQs

Are labor and labour the same word?

Yes. They have the same core meanings; only the regional spelling differs.

Is labour incorrect in American English?

It is the standard British spelling, but labor is preferred in ordinary US English writing.

Is labor or labour the correct spelling?

Both are correct. Choose the one that matches your audience and style guide.

Conclusion

The choice between labor or labour depends on your audience, not the meaning.

Use labor for American English and labour for British English, keeping the spelling consistent throughout your writing.

Remember that laborious is the correct form in both varieties, and always preserve the official spelling of names.

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Bryan Garne

Bryan Garner an experienced English language writer specializing in grammar, usage, word choice, and clear American English. He focuses on making complex language rules simple, accurate, and practical.