“I need to change the tire on my car (UK English).”
Usage Entry 1358 / 1605 60-second read
Tyre vs. Tire
British spelling for the rubber wheel cover versus American (and UK verb) spelling.
The comparisoni
“In UK English, the rubber on a wheel is a TYRE. In US English, it's a TIRE. The verb (to grow weary) is TIRE in both varieties.”
The ruleii
¶
UK noun = TYRE. US noun = TIRE.
TYRE for the wheel cover is preserved in UK, Australian, and Indian English. TIRE serves as both noun and verb in the US. The two spellings split in the 19th century and stuck.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
UK rubber = -YRE. US rubber = -IRE.