Organise or Organize? The British English Myth That Won’t Die

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve been told, always by well-meaning British clients, that spelling organize with a ‘z’ is “wrong,” “too American,” or “not proper English.”

But here’s the twist: not only is organize with a ‘z’ perfectly acceptable in British English, it’s arguably more correct than the alternative.

Yes, really.

Let’s start with the authority that should settle most debates, the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford has long championed the -ize spelling in words like organize, recognize, and realize. Why? Because the ‘z’ isn’t an Americanism, it’s rooted in the original Greek -izein and Latin -izare. The ‘z’ reflects the true etymology of these words. The ‘s’ came later, thanks to French influence.

That’s right: the so-called “British” spelling (organise, recognise, etc.) is the import. The ‘z’ is the original.

Historically, British English used -ize endings well before American English was even a thing. Samuel Johnson, the great 18th-century British lexicographer, used organize. Early British printing commonly used -ize. It wasn’t until later, largely due to the influence of French spelling and the preferences of British style guides and publishers, that -ise began to dominate UK usage. But it was a stylistic decision, not a rule carved into linguistic stone.

So, should you always use organize over organise? Not necessarily.

Style still matters. If you’re writing for a client, publication, or organisation that insists on -ise, respect their house style. Consistency in writing is important, and clashing styles can distract the reader or dilute the brand’s voice.

But here’s the point: don’t let anyone tell you that organize is “incorrect” in British English. It’s not. In fact, it might be more “correct” than they realise.

Language is full of quirks, and this is one of the more persistent, a myth born not from accuracy, but from style preferences and a bit of national pride. Ironically, what many call “American” is, in this case, the older British tradition.

So next time someone raises an eyebrow at your ‘z’, you can smile and politely inform them that the z has been here longer than they think.