How To Spell Judgement

So to help you avoid errors in your writing we ve prepared a short explainer of the spellings judgement and judgment.

How to spell judgement. Judgment can also be spelled judgement and usage experts have long disagreed over which spelling is the preferred one. In american english judgment is the standard spelling in all contexts. Judgment is a noun that has several meanings including the act or instance of judging and the ability to judge make a decision or form an opinion objectively authoritatively and wisely especially in matters affecting action. The british retained the extra e while america disposed of it. At proofed we re often asked whether to use judgement or judgment in writing but there isn t a simple answer.

The ap stylebook the american heritage dictionary and merriam webster s dictionary all prefer judgment. However if you re writing for an audience outside north america remember. Interestingly enough despite the fact that judgment is seen as a primarily american spelling it is still the preferred form for legal works in british english. Judgement is therefore here recommended. Judgment without the e is a frequent spelling on british websites too.

Well the short answer is that judgment is the prevailing dominant spelling. Henry fowler asserted the oed oxford english dictionary prefers the older and more reasonable spelling. In fact you will rarely find the word spelled any other way in the united states. The spellings judgement and judgment have both been available since the sixteenth century. If you visit the official gears of war website you will find that the official title actually spells the word judgment not judgement.

The word judgment is also one that has a different spelling in america than it has in england. The form judgement gained in frequency in british contexts and is now the usual spelling in general british use but judgment has remained the standard spelling in british legal contexts when used to refer to a judicial decision see sense 8 as well as in u s. During the 19th cent. Most american dictionaries and usage guides prefer the shorter judgment. Judgement with an extra e is the standard spelling for everyday senses of this term i e a decision or the capacity to make one outside north america including in british and australian english.