Advisororadviser refers to someone who provides advice, like a lawyer or counselor. But the subtle difference in their spellings largely hinges on geography.

Advisor (with an O) is the commonly used spelling in the U.S., whileadviser (with an E) is considered the older version and is usually the preferred British choice and globally more accepted. But why should you care? Because getting the spelling right shows your attention to detail and cultural awareness.

So, to set you straight, I’ll clarify the spelling, meaning, and usage of these two terms. I’ll also dig into the when and where each version is generally accepted, letting you know how to choose the right spelling for the right audience.

Adviser vs. Advisor – What’s the Difference?

Adviser andadvisor have the same definition but different spellings. Both nouns refer to someone who advises. Butadviser is a more popular term, especially in North America. It’s also less formal thanadvisor,which often connotes official job titles. 

How to Use “Advisor”

The slight difference betweenadvisorandadviser is thatadvisoris more common in official titles. Sometimes, it’s just an alternative spelling ofadviser, which meansa person who offers advice.

The-or suffix has a Latin origin, which you’ll often find in government, academic work, and job titles. The-orsuffix is also commonly used alongside verbs with Latin roots. 

Still, the supposed use ofadvisor as a formal term for a plethora of titles remains an unproven theory. Here are a couple of examples.It is part of what provincial Early Learning Advisor Charles Pascal calls the “seamless day of learning.” [Toronto Star]

[H]e is not necessarily interested in a return to management and may prefer to work more permanently as an advisor. [Telegraph]

Notice how the sentences useadvisorin formal contexts. For example, financial advisors are more common in professional titles thanfinancial advisers. The same is valid withacademic advisor overacademic adviserandnational security advisor overnational security adviser.

How to Use “Adviser”

There is confusion betweenadviserandadvisor’s use. But you can useadviser the same way you would useadvisor. Thespelling is just different.

Most publications in the US, the UK, or elsewhere in the English-speaking world useadviser as the preferred spelling. Oxford English Corpus states thatadviser appearsmoreoften. It’s also a more informal term for casual contexts.

Many guides listadviser as the recommended spelling, withadvisorbeing a mere variant. Here are some sentence examples.

A former campaign adviser to President Obama called on top administration officials to fire Energy Secretary Steven Chu. [USA Today]

Schools must do more to engage children who are passively “opting out” of lessons, the government’s adviser on behaviour has warned. [Guardian]

A senior nuclear adviser to the British government says Australia should consider enriching uranium. [Australian]

Bothadvisor andadviserhave English roots as they appear in American English and British English texts starting the 1600s. But experts believe thatadviseris more famous because it appeared several years beforeadvisor. 

The two are acceptable choices in any situation. There are no negative implications for using each unless you are required to follow a style guide in your work. 

For the AP style, useadviser. If you’re addressing a person’s company-conferred job title, check the company’s spelling. 

Exceptions On Adviser Vs Advisor

One of the few rules on usingadvisor versusadviser is to be consistent, especially in proper names and titles in quotations. If your writing mentionsadviser,useadviser throughout the text.

For example, a company calls employees who answer financial questions and gives investment adviceinvestment advisers orinvestment adviser representatives. That means you should stick to the –er suffix. Usinginvestment advisor would be wrong.

A legal term like theInvestment Advisers Act of 1940also requires the correct suffix. This law is also the main reason investment advisers preferadviseroveradvisor. They register as aninvestment adviser even if their company term isadvisor.

Outside these regulatory terms, most writers have a preference foradviser.But advisory is still its adjectival spelling instead ofadvisery.The adjectival form ofadviser refers tohaving the power to make recommendations but not to perform action enforcing them.

How to Remember the Difference

There’s no need to remember the difference between the two terms since they have the same meaning. Just observe the consistency in using them in your writing and speech, and take note that the choice of spelling might vary according to industries and companies–for example:

• Pandemic-related experiences have changed the way academic advisers work.
• Pandemic-related experiences have changed the way academic advisors work.

Both are correct becauseacademic advisers andacademic advisors are used in a general sense.

Adviser andadvisorareagent nouns, which indicate that a person is doing something. The agent noun form forread isreader,whiledanceis fordancer.The natural noun version usually adds –oror-erat the end. Here are some additional examples:

• Teach, teacher
• Employ, employer
• Love, lover
• Convert, convertor
• Drive, driver

Is it Advisor or Adviser in the UK?

Most writers’ original question in theadvisor vs. adviser discourse is which one to use in British English and American English. 

There’s a myth thatadvisers are only for British English, whileadvisors are for American English. However, the familiaradviser spelling predominates in both regions. The British English spelling is a matter of choice, although the connotations ofadviser are less formal.

Bothadviserandadvisor are acceptable–for example:

• You can trust an investment adviser for personalized advice on your investment choices.
• You can trust an investment advisor for personalized advice on your investment choices.

How do You Spell Adviser in Australia?

There’s also no difference betweenadviserandadvisorin Australia. But the Macquarie Dictionary considersadviser the primary spelling–for example:

• The boutique investment adviser gives professional advice to clients with deals less than $500 million.

Legal Adviser or Advisor?

Bothlegal adviser andlegal advisor are acceptable terms that refer to someone who gives legal advice. Government officials who are also lawyers can get the titleLegal Advisor orLegal Adviser.

What is the Plural of Advisor?

The plural form ofadvisor isadvisors since it’s a regular noun. The same rule applies toadviser, whose plural form isadvisers.

Advisor Synonym

• Counselor
• Consultant
• Instructor
• Coach
• Trainer
• Mentor
• Guide

Adviser and Advisor are the Same

There’s no knockout on the battle ofadvisor vs.adviser. But based on the strong punchesadvisermade, the –ersuffix wins! The word is more common in North America, Australia, the UK, and other English countries. 

Always be consistent in usingadviser oradvisor in your speech and writing. Follow the industry spelling if you have to, just like withimposter vs impostor.