Difference Between Program & Programme

Program vs Programme

The confusion between the words program and programme stems from regional differences in usage. The term program is the American way of using the British word programme. In the world of computing, program is the universally accepted term.

What does Program mean? What does Programme mean?

The British use the spelling programme to mean the same as the American term program. However, the British use the spelling program when referring to computers, and do not use the spelling programme for this context. This is the main difference between the usage of the two words, program and programme.

Australian English recommends using the spelling program for official purposes, although the spelling programme is still used in Australia. Thus, Australians use both words.

On the other hand, Americans only use the word program and consider the spelling of the word programme to be incorrect. In the United Kingdom, both words are accepted, as the term program was more prevalent in the 19th century until programme gained popularity later on. The pronunciation of both words is the same, and the verbal form ‘programming’ is accepted in both countries.

The tip for using the correct form of the word is simple: use program for anything related to computers. American English users can use program for every use, while British English users need to be more careful.

Key Takeaways

• Program is the American way of using the British word Programme.
• The British use the spelling program when referring to computers.
• Americans only use the word program, while Australians and British use both program and programme for different purposes.