Preferred Words List

The following list includes easily confused words, as well as the preferred spelling or usage for words commonly used in ÂÌñÉç writing.

Comments or additions? If you have comments about the guide or wish to suggest an addition, deletion or change, contact Natalie Blando-George in University Communications and Marketing at ngeorge@binghamton.edu

Preferred term/spelling Over this

acknowledgment

acknowledgement

advisor

adviser

afterward

afterwards

amid

amidst

archaeology

archeology

artwork

artworks

Bearcats

Lady Bearcats

ÂÌñÉç

BU, SUNY-B

break down (v.)

breakdown or break-down

breakdown (n. and adj.)

break down or break-down

break in (v.)

break-in 

break-in (adj.)

break in

break up (v.)

breakup or break-up

breakup (n. and adj.)

break up or break-up

build up (v.)

buildup or build-up

buildup (n. and adj.)

build up or build-up

campus wide (adv.)

campus-wide or campuswide

campus-wide (adj.)

campus wide or campuswide

canceled

cancelled

canceling

cancelling

cancellation

cancelation

cannot

can not

catalog

catalogue

chair

chairman, chairwoman or chairperson

check in (v.)

checkin or check-in

check-in (n. and adj.)

check in or checkin

check out (v.)

checkout or check-out

checkout (n. and adj.)

check out or check-out

check up (v.)

checkup or check-up

checkup (n.)

check up or check-up

childcare

child care or child-care

clean room

cleanroom

clean up (v.)

cleanup or clean-up

cleanup (n. and adj.)

clean up or clean-up

corequisite

co-requisite

coursework

course work or course-work

criterion (sing.)

criteria

criteria (pl.)

criterion

cut off (v.)

cutoff or cut-off

cutoff (n. and adj.)

cut off or cut-off

database

data base

datathon 

data-thon

daycare

day care or day-care

degree-seeking

degree seeking

disc (phonograph records, optical and laser-based devices, brakes)

disk

disk (computer-related and medical references)

disc

download

down load or down-load

email

e-mail

everyday (adj.)

every day

every day (adv.)

everyday

farther (physical distance)

further

first

firstly

firsthand

first hand or first-hand

first-come, first-served

first-come, first-serve

flier (aviator or handout)

flyer

follow up (v.)

followup or follow-up

follow-up (n. and adj.)

followup or follow up

forward

forwards

first-year student/students

freshman/freshmen

frontlines

front lines

full-time (adj.)

full time or fulltime

fundraiser

fund raiser or fund-raiser

fundraising

fund raising or fund-raising

further (time or matter of degree)

farther

hackathon 

hack-a-thon

hand-held

handheld or handheld

healthcare

health care or health-care

homepage

home page

internet

Internet

judgment

judgement

kickoff (n. and adj.)

kick off or kick-off

kick off (v.)

kickoff or kick-off

language

foreign language

lifespan (n. and adj.)

life span or life-span 

lifelong

life long or life-long

lifestyle

life style or life-style

lifetime

life time or life-time

livestream

live stream, live-stream

livestreamed

live streamed, live-streamed

livestreaming

live streaming, live-streaming

login (n.)

log in or log-in

log in (v.)

login or log-in

logoff (n.)

log off or log-off

log off (v.)

logoff or log-off

logon (n.)

log on or log-on

log on (v.)

logon or log-on

newsgroup

news group or news-group

nonprofit

non-profit

offline

off line or off-line

ongoing

on going

online

on line or on-line

pre-health

prehealth

pre-med

premed

premier (adj.)

premiere

premiere (n.)

premier

prerequisite

pre-requisite

preventive

preventative

regardless

irregardless

°ùé²õ³Ü³¾Ã© (employment history document)

resume

runner-up (runners-up)

runner up or runnerup (runners up or runnersup)

second

secondly

second-guess (v.)

second guess

second guess (n.)

second-guess

secondhand (adj. and adv.)

second hand

send-off (n.) 

sendoff or send off

send off (v.) send-off or sendoff

smart car (i.e., the category of car; there is a brand of smart care named Smart)

smart-car or smartcar

smartphone

smart phone or smart-phone

smartwatch

smart watch or smart-watch

start up (v.)

startup or start-up

startup (n. and adj.)*

start-up or start up*

student

coed

T-shirt

T shirt, tee-shirt or tee shirt

theater (art form or facility)

theatre

theatre (University dept. or degree)

theater

third

thirdly

to

in order to

toward

towards

underway

under way

wastewater

waste water or waste-water

web (internet)

Web

webpage

web page, Web page, Webpage

website

web site, Web site, Website

well-being wellbeing, well being
Wi-Fi  Wifi, Wi-fi or wi-fi

X-ray

x-ray

3D

3-D

5K, 10K (run or walk)

5k, 5-k or 5-K; 10k, 10-k or 10-K

401K

401k, 401-k or 401-K

*Exception: Innovative Technologies Complex Start-Up Suite