Quick answer: Use suite for a set of things that go together: a hotel suite, a bedroom suite, a software suite or a musical suite. Use suit for matching clothing (“a navy suit”), a lawsuit (“the company filed a suit”), a group in a deck of cards (“hearts is a suit”), or the verb meaning … Read more
Quick answer: Supra means “above” or “earlier,” and infra means “below” or “later.” In legal and academic writing, “supra” points back to something already mentioned, while “infra” points ahead to something coming up. As prefixes, supra- means above or beyond (supranational) and infra- means below or beneath (infrared, infrastructure). Supra vs Infra Quiz: Test Yourself … Read more
Quick answer: Both spellings refer to a person or company that sells something, but vendor is the standard and far more common spelling, especially in business, law and technology. Vender is an accepted but rarer variant. In Spanish, vender is also the verb meaning “to sell.” When in doubt, write vendor. Vender vs Vendor Quiz: … Read more
Quick answer: In English, the word is sir: a polite way to address a man (“Yes, sir”) and the title of a knight (“Sir Isaac Newton”). Ser is the Spanish and Portuguese verb meaning “to be,” and it is also the knightly title used in the fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire (Game … Read more
Quick answer: A hat is the broad word for a head covering, and it usually has a brim all the way around or a structured crown, as with a sun hat or fedora. A cap is typically close-fitting and either has no brim at all or only a visor (peak) at the front, as with … Read more
Quick answer: Upwind means toward the direction the wind is coming from, or against the wind: “We walked upwind of the fire.” Downwind means in the direction the wind is blowing, or with the wind: “The smoke drifted downwind.” Whatever the wind carries, such as smoke, smells or pollution, travels downwind. Downwind vs Upwind Quiz: … Read more
Quick answer: A regimen is a planned routine, such as a diet, exercise plan or treatment schedule: “a skincare regimen.” A regiment is a military unit, or, as a verb, to organize people in a strict, controlled way: “a cavalry regiment.” The two are not interchangeable, so “exercise regiment” is a common error for exercise … Read more
Quick answer: Yeah is the casual, everyday way to say “yes”: “Yeah, I’ll be there.” Yea is a formal or old-fashioned word for “yes,” used mainly in votes, where it pairs with “nay”: “The yeas have it.” Don’t confuse either with yay, the cheer. Yeah vs Yea Quiz: Test Yourself Five quick questions on yeah … Read more
Quick answer: Surprise is the only correct spelling. Suprise is a common misspelling that leaves out the first “r.” Remember that both halves of the word have an “r”: sur–prise. The same goes for surprised, surprising and surprisingly. Surprise vs Suprise Quiz: Test Yourself Five quick questions on surprise vs suprise. Pick an answer to … Read more
Quick answer: In the red means losing money, in debt, or overdrawn: “The shop has been in the red since spring.” In the black means profitable or having a positive balance: “The startup is finally in the black.” Both phrases come from bookkeeping, where losses were traditionally written in red ink and profits in black. … Read more