Skip to main content

Questions tagged [ise-ize]

The tag has no usage guidance.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
6 votes
3 answers
83k views

"Normalise" or "normalize" (British English)? [duplicate]

Is normalise perhaps obsolete in British English, and normalize preferred instead? I have done some Googling, it seems British English dictionaries prefer normalize, but I haven't found any ...
12 votes
2 answers
36k views

"s" vs. "z" in BE vs. AE

I have trouble understanding why some words change "s"-es to "z"-s from BE to AE and some not. For example: analyse -> analyze characterise -> characterize hypnotise -> hypnotize But: compromise -> ...
46 votes
7 answers
36k views

Are the endings "-zation" and "-sation" interchangeable?

What is with words that have forms that end both in -zation and -sation, such as localization and localisation? Many spell checkers recommend -zation.
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can all verbs ending in "-ise" be written with the suffix "ize"? [closed]

Are there any "-ise" (or "-yse") words which cannot be (or are never) written using "-ize"? I searched for prior questions, and came across: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/47785/correct-...
5 votes
1 answer
25k views

initialised or initialized which one is correct spelling? [duplicate]

I have often seen initialised in lots of text, but when I want to write it in Microsoft office word, it says it was misspelled and it should be initialized instead of initialised. so here is my ...
1 vote
1 answer
737 views

How to know which word in British English ends with '-ise' or '-ize' (e.g. organise and realize)? [duplicate]

How to know which word in British English ends with '-ise' or '-ize' (e.g. organise and realize)? I am an editor and this has been a constant matter of confusion for me.
7 votes
3 answers
25k views

What's the right spelling of "synchronized"?

What's the right spelling of synchronized (like in synchronized swimming), and are there any differences between the British and American English?
17 votes
1 answer
274k views

Utilise or Utilize

I am writing in UK English and would like to confirm that we use utilise instead of utilize. I cannot seem to find a answer for this online.
11 votes
2 answers
33k views

Why isn't "citizen" spelled as "citisen" in British English?

In British English vocabulary, most words with "z" are spelled with "s". For example, "capitalization" is "capitalisation", "industrialization" is "industrialisation". But for some words, like "...
16 votes
1 answer
44k views

"Exercise" but not "exercize"

Many words are spelled with -ise in British English and -ize in American English: realise/realize sanitise/sanitize scrutinise/scrutinize But exercise can only be spelled with -ise, never with -ize. ...
1 vote
1 answer
4k views

How to know when the z can't be used instead of s in an ending? [duplicate]

I'm familiar with -se -ses -sation etc endings being British and the American equivalent being with z rather than s. However, I stumbled on the word "improvisation", which apparently can't be spelled ...
6 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is "denormalized" a word?

I use it all the time since I work with databases, but every time I write it somewhere with spell check I get the squiggly line below it. I've seen other people spell it with an "s" instead of a "z" ...
3 votes
0 answers
1k views

The use of -ize and -ise in the UK? [closed]

I got a translation assignment where I am to use UK English but with -ize spelling. The European Union switched from -ize to -ise some years ago in its English language publications, meaning that -...
6 votes
1 answer
13k views

Virtualisation vs Virtualization [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: ***zation vs ***sation? So, there seem to be some contradicting opinions on this matter. Can anyone shed some light on this case? Might be similar to visualize vs visualise, ...
11 votes
1 answer
164k views

What is the difference between summarizes and summarises? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: “-zation” vs “-sation”? Each post has an indicator which summarises who the post is shared. What is the difference between these two terms? Should ...
0 votes
2 answers
3k views

What is more widely used in UK English: -ise or -ize? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: “s” vs. “z” in BE vs. AE Are the endings “-zation” and “-sation” interchangeable? I was asked on a translation assignment to use UK English but with -...
1 vote
5 answers
64k views

British English: "fantasise" or "fantasize"?

I would like to know which spelling is more common in the UK: fantasise or fantasize?