It’s confusing for sure, but we’ll fill you in on how to spell grey or gray. Intrigued? Keep on reading to learn more about this gray area.
Gray or Grey: Which is Correct?
The “TLDR” answer to this question is… both are acceptable and mean the same thing. Which variation is more commonly used depends on what side of the Atlantic Ocean you are from. In a nutshell, gray and grey are just two different spellings of the same word, and the use of neither is technically wrong. In fact, they are often used interchangeably. However, in the United States of America, we commonly spell the color as “gray”—whereas, in the United Kingdom (and other countries that speak British English, like Australia, New Zealand and Canada), the spelling “grey” is used. But regardless of which way it is spelled, both variants are derived from the Old English word “grǣg.”
Is There a Difference in Using Gray or Gray as a Noun, Adjective or Verb?
Again, not really. Whether you are using the word as a noun (my favorite color is gray/grey), a verb (the sky turned gray/grey before it rained) or as an adjective (the old woman has gray/grey hair), either spelling is acceptable. It essentially boils down to whether you are writing for an English or American audience. In fact, Dictionary.com has a helpful mnemonic trick to remember which spelling is used where: E is for England and A is for America!
Are There Instances Where One Spelling Is Always Used Over the Other?
Yes. While gray and grey can generally be used interchangeably, there are some cases where the word must always be used with the A or the E spelling. For example, the scientific unit of measurement that describes radiation absorption is always spelled gray, never as grey. Also, the arctic grayling is a species of fish always spelled with an A, while the Greyhound breed of dog is spelled with an E. There are some proper names where the spelling is always one or the other as well, like Earl Grey tea, the bus service Greyhound Lines, Grey Poupon mustard, Grey Goose Vodka, or the Grey Stuff dessert at Disney Parks (inspired by a line in the song “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast). The television show Grey’s Anatomy, as well as the books Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, are always spelled the same way since those titles are based on specific characters’ names. Similarly, the A and E are not interchangeable in a regular person’s name. If someone’s given name is Grayson, then it would be wrong to spell it as Greyson. (Or vice versa.) The same holds true with the surname of Gray or Grey—you would be spelling that person’s name incorrectly if you swapped the A and E.
How To Choose the Right Spelling of Grey or Gray
In most situations, either spelling is fine. But a good rule of thumb is this: If you are in America, spell it gray. If you are in England, spell it grey. Next, check out the longest words in the English language!
