Organise or organize: which is correct?
Correct
organise or organize (both accepted in UK English) / organize (US)
Avoid
organise (in US English)
Summary
Correct: organise or organize (both accepted in UK English) / organize (US) — Avoid: organise (in US English). Organise / organize = to arrange systematically, to make arrangements for an event. The -ise form is the more common British choice; -ize is the Oxford and American spelling.
Both spellings are correct in their own variety; pick one and use it consistently.
- Part of speech
- verb
- Source
- Oxford / Merriam-Webster
Why
Oxford: -ize is the preferred Oxford spelling (it reflects the Greek ending -izein) and is also the American standard in Merriam-Webster, while -ise is the more common choice in British writing; both are accepted in British English. Verbs that do not come from Greek -izein — advertise, exercise, surprise, compromise — never take -ize.
Examples
- We need to organise (UK) / organize (US) the files before the audit.
- She organised the conference single-handedly.
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- Spelling authority
- Merriam-Webster · Oxford English Dictionary / Oxford spelling · SCOWL
- Commonly confused and non-standard forms
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