Is it gray or grey hair color?
Gray and grey are both correct spellings for the hair color that is a mixture of white and black hairs. The difference between gray and grey is simply an American versus British English spelling difference. Gray is preferred in American English, while grey is preferred in all other main varieties of English language, including British English, Canadian English, and Australian English.
Gray vs Grey in American vs British English
In American English, gray is the more common spelling, while grey is an acceptable variant. However, in all other main varieties of English, including British English, Canadian English, and Australian English, grey is standard and gray is usually considered a spelling error.
This is because American English has stayed closer to the original Latin source word “griseus” which became “gris” in Old English, from which the word gray/grey originates. British English has evolved further from the original Latin and Old English spellings.
So in summary:
– In American English: Gray is standard, Grey is a variant
– In British/Canadian/Australian English: Grey is standard, Gray is non-standard
Grammar and Usage
Gray and grey follow the usual grammar and usage rules for color adjectives in English. These rules apply whether using the American or British/Canadian/Australian spelling.
For example:
– As adjective: “She has gray/grey hair”
– As noun: “Mixing black and white makes gray/grey”
– Comparative and superlative forms: “Her hair is grayer/greyer than mine” “He has the grayest/greyest hair of all”
The grammar is the same for both spellings. Only the regional spelling preference differs.
Similar Color Spellings
Like gray/grey, some other colors also have American vs British spelling differences:
| American English | British/Canadian/Australian English |
|---|---|
| Color | Colour |
| Flavor | Flavour |
So color, flavor, and gray are the standard American spellings, while colour, flavour, and grey are standard in British/Canadian/Australian English. But both versions are generally understood in all regions.
Is One Spelling More Correct?
Both gray and grey have a long history of usage and are common established spellings in formal writing. Gray has been in use since around 700 AD from the Old English word “grǣg”. Grey has been used since around 1400 AD, coming from the Middle English “grei”.
So it is incorrect to say that one spelling is right and the other is wrong. Both are correct and standard in their respective regions. However, it is best to maintain consistent spelling, either gray or grey, within a given text. Mixing the spellings randomly may look erroneous and confuse readers.
Converting Between Gray and Grey
Since grey and gray are just spelling variants, converting writing between them is trivial. Simple find-and-replace can switch all instances easily:
– Converting from British to American English:
– Find: grey
– Replace All: gray
– Converting from American to British English:
– Find: gray
– Replace All: grey
This will reliably switch the spelling through an entire document.
How Common are Gray and Grey?
Gray is significantly more common overall than grey. This is because American English dominates global media, publishing, and communications.
One estimate is that gray makes up 70-80% of usage and grey just 20-30%. However, in British media and publishing, grey may be more common within the UK.
So globally gray is used more, but grey maintains a strong minority usage in Britain and other regions. Both are universally understood.
Conclusion
In summary:
– Gray and grey are equally valid spellings
– Gray is standard in American English
– Grey is standard in British, Canadian, Australian English
– Both follow the usual grammar as color adjectives
– Converting between them is easy with find-and-replace
– Gray is more common globally but grey is common in Britain
So while the spellings have varied history and regional use, fundamentally gray and grey are interchangeable variants referring to the same hair color. Consistency within any one text is recommended, but both spellings can be used freely in all English speaking countries.
