“Vapors” or “Vapours”—What's the difference?

Usage by country

Where each spelling is used

Of the 12 countries below, 4 prefer “vapors” and 4 prefer “vapours”. Usage levels are out of 100; the more common spelling in each country is in bold.

Usage level out of 100 (if available).
Country	vapors	vapours	Preference
United States	100	0	“vapors”
United Kingdom	27	73	“vapours”
India	22	78	“vapours”
Philippines	95	5	“vapors”
Canada	68	32	“vapors”
Australia	43	57	“vapours”
Liberia	0	0	Not enough data
Ireland	47	53	“vapours”
New Zealand	59	41	“vapors”
Jamaica	0	0	Not enough data
Trinidad & Tobago	0	0	Not enough data
Guyana	0	0	Not enough data

Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“vapors”

Diphosgene was developed because the vapors could destroy the filters in…
"Vapors"- 4:33
…at a time, thus alcohol vapors are inhaled in the process.
…A Different View (1991), Kinetic Vapors (1993), Holographic Tapestries (1995), and…
…is considerable evidence that glycol vapors produce significant decreases in numbers…
…not contain nicotine generate hazardous vapors and could still present a…
…1938), accidentally inhales hard water vapors after taking a smoke break…
Hot chemical vapors are deposited on to the…
…for sampling hazardous gases and vapors in air, mostly as it…
…to the composition of the vapors at the given temperature and

“vapours”

…physical properties of process fluids (vapours and liquids) are measured.
…Heat Capacities: Liquids, Solutions and Vapours, Cambridge, U.K.:Royal Society of Chemistry,
…Souls, are seldom troubled with Vapours or Lowness of Spirits."
…Conductivity of Metals and their Vapours' (ibid, Nov 1902); 'Some Recent…
…Diseases of all kinds, Spleen, Vapours, Lowness of Spirits, Hypochondraical, and…
…important for more penetrating "spiritous" vapours and required a mixture that…
…which inhalant is used, inhaling vapours or gases can lead to…
"Observation on poisoning by the vapours of burning charcoal and coals",…
In regards to turn-of-the-century psychology, vapours was a colloquial way of…
…has many impurities such as vapours, dust particles and arsenous oxide.

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license.

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