While they disappeared from the mainstream for a little while, they’re back and more popular than ever, with more men looking into how they can shape and trim their mustaches into something sleek and stylish.
With a range of different styles available and their increasing popularity, more and more men are looking to begin growing and sporting their very own mustache,
However, during your search, you might haven’t noticed that the spelling of mustache tends to fluctuate slightly. Sometimes called mustache, called moustache, it’s quite confusing, right?
If this fluctuation has made you as confused as we were when we first noticed it, then don’t worry, you’re in safe hands.
In this article, we’ll discuss the difference between mustache and moustache, how to pronounce each spelling, and we’ll even provide you with a handy guide to remembering each one.
So, let’s get started!
The History Of The Mustache
Much like many words in the English language, the word for moustache is French, and is directly derived from the 14th-century Italian word mustaccio, the 16th-century dialectal mostaccio, as well as a variety of Medieval Greek and Medieval Latin words that stem as far back as the 9th century.
This word originally meant “upper lip”, or “facial hair”, before the definition was refined over time.
Those who wear a moustached are sometimes said to be “moustached”, or for those who feature a particularly big or bushy moustache; “moustachioed”.
Mustaches have been around for a long time, with the first-ever documentation of people adorning a mustache dating back to the Iron Age Celts, where their appearance was described by a Greek Historian.
Since then, mustaches have been in and out of style, but it seems as though once again these tufts of hair on the upper lip are making their way back into the mainstream.
However, what’s up with the two different spellings of the word?
What’s The Difference Between Mustache And Moustache?
At first, you might think that there is some huge difference between the two words, perhaps they’re used for different styles? But the reality is that this isn’t the case. You might be slightly disappointed when you find out what the difference is.
You see, there is no actual difference between mustache and moustache, except of course, for the spelling.
Moustache is the way of spelling the word in British English, and all other variations of English (except for American). And is the word used to describe the hair that grows on the upper lip of a man.
Mustache (Without the O), is the spelling used in American English and has the exact same definition, which means that they can be used interchangeably, although it’s best to stick to the most widely accepted spelling in the country you’re in.
There is a slight difference between the abbreviations of each of these words depending on whether you’re using British or American English.
In Britain, moustaches are abbreviated to ‘Tache, whereas in America, the S is also included, making the abbreviation ‘Stache.
Other than the difference in abbreviations. The only variation on this word that has any difference is the word Mustachio, which is used to refer to a mustache that is particularly impressive or elaborate.
So, now that you know more about where the difference in spellings comes from, let’s take a look at how you pronounce each spelling of this word!
Pronunciation Guide
So, considering that mustache is missing a whole letter compared to its British counterpart Moustache, then surely the pronunciation of the two must be different too… right?
This is where many people’s confusion comes from, as the pronunciation of these two words is the same, as there is no phonetic difference between them at all.
No matter which version of the word you’re reading out aloud, the pronunciation for them both is MUH + STAASH.
Of course, there might be some regional differences between the pronunciations, but that’s a result of accents and localized dialects, as opposed to any widespread differences.
Why Are There Separate Spellings For British And American English?
When it comes to words like mustache/moustache, which feature the same pronunciation and the same meaning, just with a different spelling between British and American English, it can be confusing as to why exactly this difference even exists.
When America first claimed its independence from Britain, it wanted to ensure that there was enough separation between the two cultures, which is exactly why so many of the spellings are different on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.
In addition to this, many of the words were changed to make their pronunciation easier too, with mustache being just one of the words that saw its spelling altered.
The Popularity Of Each Spelling
When it comes to trying to figure out which of these spellings is the more popular one, it can be tricky to decide, especially because of the increasingly globalized nature of spellings, which means that you might even see the American spelling in the UK or the British spelling in America.
For the most part, their popularity and the preference of each spelling is around a 50% split, because while the USA is a much larger country, British Spelling is also used by a lot of countries that use British spellings in their English.
How To Remember
Knowing which spelling of the word to use can be something of a hassle. Of course, if you’re based either in the US or the UK, then you’ll know to stick to the spelling that applies to your country.
However, for those outside of these countries, or for someone that regularly writes using both spellings, there is a handy trick to remembering which one is American English, and which one is British English.
For the American spelling of “mustache”, the first three vowels in the word are U, S, and A. Spelling out the USA, and therefore shows you that “mustache” is the American spelling!
Final Thoughts
So there we have it, a comprehensive guide to the differences between mustache and moustache.
As people begin to hunt for styling guides, growing tutorials, and all of the associated products involved with growing a mustache, then they’re more likely to discover that the word has two different spellings.
That being said, it is something of a rather anticlimactic realization that the two words are practically the same, despite this, it’s still important to remember which one to use depending on the context of the country.
While the British spelling is spelled Moustache, the American spelling simplifies the spelling and removes the O from the word entirely.
Regardless, the pronunciation of the word doesn’t change at all, which for some people, definitely makes it harder to remember when to use each spelling of the word.
Thankfully, with our handy little trick to remembering which one is the American English spelling, and which one is the British English spelling, you should have no issues!
