Appendix 2 List of recommended words

‍

For general spelling rules, please see General spelling rules.

A

above-mentioned 

accommodation not accommodations

acknowledgement not acknowledgment

addendum, pl. addenda not italicized

ad hoc not italicized

ad lib not italicized

advertise

advice (n.), advise (v.)

adviser not advisor, but note advisory

affect (v.) to have an effect on, cf. effect

afforestation where previous land type or use was not forestry

affranchise

aflatoxin

African swine fever not African Swine Fever

after-care, after-effect

afterwards (adv.) not afterward

ageing

age group

agenda, pl. agendas

agribusiness

agricultural sector preferred to agriculture sector

agriculturist not agriculturalist

agrifood

agro- compounds closed up except before i, e.g. agroecology, agroecosystem, agro-industry, agroforestry, agrometeorology, agrosilvicultural, agrosilvipastoral

air-dried (adj.), air-dry (v.)

airtight

alfalfa not Alfalfa

alga, pl. algae

alkaline, alkalinization

alley cropping

all-season (adj.)

alternate(ly) by turns, alternative(ly) presenting a choice between alternatives. An alternate method is one to be used every second time; an alternative method is one that can be chosen instead of some other method.

aluminium not aluminum

aman rice

amid not amidst

amino acid

among not amongst

analogue not analog

analyse not analyze

antenatal

antenna, pl. antennae (zool.), antennas (aerials)

anthelmintic

anti-erosion

antinutrient, antinutritional, antipollution

appendix, pl. appendices (books), appendixes (anat. or zool.)

aquaculture, aquaculturist

Arabian Gulf avoid; use Persian Gulf

armyworm

artefact not artifact

artisan (n.), artisanal (adj.)

Asia and the Pacific

assist + in + gerund or noun not assist + inf., e.g. They assist in training the farmers

asylum-seekers

audiocassette, audiotape, audiovisual

Australasia avoid; use Oceania

autumn not fall; lower case

awareness-raising (n.)

axle-hole

axletree

B

Bachelor of Arts degree (BA)

Bachelor of Science degree (BSc)

backcross (n., v.), backlog

back-reef

backscatter (radar term)

backup (n., adj.), back up (v.)

backward (adj.), backwards (adv.)

band-saw

bandwidth

baseline

basis, pl. bases

Bedouin

beehive

beekeeper, beekeeping

beeswax

behaviour not behavior

benchmark

benefited, benefiting

berseem (fodder crop) not capitalized

better production, better nutrition, a better environment, a better life (four betters)

biannual twice a year

biennial every second year

biennium, pl. biennia period of two years

bilateral

billion one thousand million

bimonthly twice a month or every two months – best to specify

bio- compounds closed up, except before some vowels, e.g. bio-available, bio-assay, but bioelectricity, bioenergy, bioinputs

biological diversity or biodiversity follow author’s use

birth date

birthplace

birth rate

birth weight, but birthweight in State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World reports only

bivalve

biweekly twice a week or every two weeks – best to specify

black gram

blackleg (sheep and cattle disease)

black tongue (disease of dogs)

bluetongue (disease of sheep)

boatbuilder, boatbuilding, boatmaker, boatmaking, boatyard

boll-rot

boll weevil

bollworm

bookkeeping

borehole

boro

bottle-feed, bottle-feeding

bottleneck

breadbasket

breadfruit

breakdown (n.), break down (v.)

breakthrough (n.), break through (v.)

breastfed, breastfeed, breastfeeding

breastmilk

briquette, briquetting

broad bean preferred to fava bean

broadleaf (n.)

broadleaved

brood fish, brood hen

broodstock

brush fire

Brussels sprouts

bud rot

bud-take

budwood

buffalo, pl. buffaloes

buildup (n.), build up (v.)

built-in (adj.), built-up (adj.)

bureau, pl. bureaus

burn, burnt (past participle)

buses, busing not busses, bussing

bushfire

bushmeat

butterfat

bycatch

by-law

bypass

by-product

byte (computer term)

C

cacao virus

cadastral, cadastre

calibre not caliber

calorie avoid; use kilocalorie (abbrev. kcal) – when not used as a measure, food energy preferred, e.g. Groundnuts can contribute food energy to a diet, not Groundnuts can contribute calories ...

camel-hair

can, canning or tin, tinning (be consistent)

cantaloupe

capacity building (n.), capacity-building (adj.)

carryover (n., adj.), carry over (v.)

case study

cash crop (n., v.)

cash flow

cashew nut

castor seed preferred to castor bean

catalogue not catalog

cattle herd of cattle, e.g. 12 head of cattle, not 12 cattle

cattle breeder, cattle feed, cattle hide (but cowhide), cattle owner, but cattle-ranching

Celsius, centigrade (abbrev. C) two names for the same system of measuring temperature. Always use Celsius, not Fahrenheit. The formulae for converting from Fahrenheit to centigrade and vice versa are: F = [(9 × C) ÷ 5] + 32; C = 5(F – 32) ÷ 9. Note that temperatures are written with a non-breaking space between the number and the unit, e.g. 35 °C

central, Central see 8 Capitalization

centre (n., v.) not center

centrepiece

cf. (abbrev.) compare

chainsaw

chalkboard

changeover (n.), change over (v.)

channelled, channelling

check dam

checklist

checkup (n.), check (v.)

cheese-maker, cheese-making

cheque not check (mode of payment)

chickpea

child-bearing (adj.)

childbirth

child care

chilli, chillies or chili, chilies follow author’s use

clamorous

clamour

classmate, classroom

clayey

clear-cutting (n.), clear-cut (adj.) evident, clear-cut (v.) to cut all trees in a stand

clear-eyed

clearfell, clearfelling

clear-headed

clearinghouse

clear-out (n.), clear out (v.)

clear-sighted

climate change (n.), climate-change (adj.)

climate-smart

clipboard

clone selection not clonal selection

co- most compounds hyphenated

coal mining

coco name of a palm tree, coconut seed of the palm tree

cocoa bean not cacao bean

cold chain, cold store, cold storage

colour, discolour, colourable, but note coloration and decoloration

colourless

combated, combating

commodity group price

community-driven (adj.)

complement something that completes, enhances or improves

compliment expression of praise

comprise not comprised of, e.g. the strategy comprises three elements

computer terms many ordinary English words have a specific computer sense, e.g. access (v.), add-in (n., adj.), database, data file, debug, format (formatting, formatter), hard copy, hard code, hard-wired, input (v.), log on (v.), online, offline, program (programming, programmer), real time (n.), real-time (adj.)

connection not connexion

cont. (abbrev.) continued

continual going on for a long time, recurring at intervals, seeming never to come to an end

continuous uninterrupted

convenor not convener

cooperate, cooperation, cooperative

co-opt

coordinate, coordination

corn use maize, grain or cereal, depending on the particular case, but corn on the cob, sweet corn

cornerstone

corrigendum, pl. corrigenda

cost-effectiveness (n.), cost-effective (adj.)

cost-of-illness (adj.)

cottonseed, cottonseed oil

council (n.) administrative body

councillor council member

counsel (n., v.) advice, to advise

counsellor adviser

counter- compounds closed up, e.g. counteract, counterpart, counterproductive

country-level (adj.)

COVID-19 correct usage: Prices fell due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but COVID-19 infection rates increased by 10 percent

cowhide, cowpea

cow’s milk as opposed to breastmilk; cow milk as a commodity (also goat milk)

crisis, pl. crises

criss-cross

criterion, pl. criteria

cropland

cross-breed (n., v.), cross-breeding, cross-bred (adj.)

cross-check, cross-fertilization, cross-pollination, cross-reference, cross-section

curriculum, pl. curricula

cutback (n.), cut back (v.)

cutoff (n.), cut off (v.)

D

data may be plural or singular (be consistent). The rarely found datum (as in datum line) is always singular

databank, database, dataset, datasheet, but data file

date palm

day care (n., adj.)

day labourer

day length (n.)

daylight, daytime

day-to-day (adj.), but from day to day

death rate

debug (computer term)

decision support (n.), decision-support (adj.)

deep-freeze, deep-frozen

deep-sea fishing

de- compounds closed up, except when followed by “e”, e.g. de-escalate

de facto not italicized

defence not defense

deflection not deflexion

deforest, deforestation

deleafing

demand-driven (adj.)

dendro-energy wood-based energy

dependant (n.), dependent (adj.)

desert locust not Desert Locust

despatch use dispatch

developing countries not Third World or underdeveloped countries

deworm

dialogue not dialog

diameter not diametre

diamondback moth

dieback (n.), die back (v.)

digester, e.g. biogas digester

dipnet

disc (all uses except computers, see disk)

discreet restrained in speech and behaviour

discrete individually distinct, separate

disk (computers only)

doctorate (PhD)

double-duty

downtime, downtrend, downturn

downward (adj.), downwards (adv.)

draught for traction (as in draught animals)

drawback (n.), draw back (v.)

drier (n., adj.) or dryer (n.) follow author’s use

driftnet

drinking water

drop-off (n.), drop off (v.)

dryland farming (n.)

drylands (n.), dryland (adj.)

dry rot

due and owing avoid unless used as financial terms. It is better to substitute result from, because, etc., e.g. Crop failure resulted from drought, or The crops failed because of drought

dyke not dike

E

earthwork

East Coast fever

east, eastern, East, Eastern see 8 Capitalization

eastward (adj.), eastwards (adv.)

echograph

echo sounder, echo sounding

eco- compounds closed up, e.g. ecoclimate,
but note eco-friendly (adj.)

e-commerce

economic relating to the science of economics or the economy in general, economical, characterized by thrift or representing good value for money

effect (v.) not effectuate; to bring about; not to be confused with affect

e-learning, but note FAO elearning Academy

email not e-mail

empanel, empanelled

end use, end user

end-point

end product

energy-dense (adj.)

energy-sufficient diet

enquire, enquiry not inquire, inquiry

enrol, enrolled, enrolment

ensilage, silage silage is the product of the process of ensilage

ensure to make sure, not to be used for insure

equalled, equalling

equator, equatorial, Equatorial see 8 Capitalization

erodible

erratum, pl. errata

et al. italicized

etc. not italicized

et seq. italicized

evapotranspiration

ex ante italicized

explant

ex post, ex post facto italicized

ex situ italicized

extra- compounds closed up, except when followed by “a” or a proper noun, e.g.  extra-atmospheric, extra-Community trade

F

factsheet

falloff (n.)

fan-leaf

farmer-managed (adj.)

farm gate

farmhand, farmhouse, farmland

farm worker

farmyard

farther, further use farther for literal distances, further for everything else, e.g. We must travel two kilometres farther, but I can go no further with this project.

fast food (n.) fastfood (adj.)

feedback, feedlot

feedgrain(s) and feedstuffs for animal consumption, foodgrains and foodstuffs for human consumption

fermenter

ferruginous not ferrugineous

fewer use for countable items, less for amounts, e.g. fewer cows, less milk

fibre

fibreboard, fibreglass

fieldbook

field guide

field test (n.), field-test (v.)

field trial

fieldwork, field worker

filmstrip

filter paper

fine tuning (n.), fine-tune (v.)

finfish(es)

finger millet

firebreak

fire crew

firefighter

firewood avoid; use fuelwood

First World avoid; use industrialized countries

first, second, etc. not firstly, secondly, etc.

first aid, first-aid kit

first-hand, second-hand, third-hand ... (adj.), but at first hand

first-rate (adj.)

fish, pl. fish unless referring to more than one species of fish

fish culture

fish farm, fish farming, fish farmer

fisher not fisherman

fishing gear, fishing tackle

fish-liver oil

fishmeal, fishnet

fish oil, fish pond, fish seed, fish stocks

flip chart

floodgate, floodplain, floodwall, floodwater

flood tide

flowchart

focused, focuses, focusing

foetal

-fold compounds closed up, e.g. twofold, twentyfold

follow-up (adj., n), follow up (v.)

food balance sheet abbrev. (FBS)

food-based dietary guidelines abbrev. (FBDGs)

foodborne preferred; food-borne also accepted

food crops not foodcrops

food for work (n.), food-for-work (adj.)

foodgrain(s) (for human consumption), feedgrain(s) (for animal consumption)

food insecure (n.); food-insecure (adj.)

food-processing (adj.)

food security

foodstuff(s), feedstuff(s) as above

foot-and-mouth disease (abbrev. FMD)

forego to precede, but forgo to go without

forestland

forest tree

forklift

format, formatted, formatting, formatter

formula, pl. formulae (math., chem.) but formulas (methods)

forum, pl. fora

foreword (of book)

forward (adj., v.), forwards (adv.)

four betters see better production ... etc.

-free compounds hyphenated, e.g. disease-free, germ-free

freeze-dried, freeze-drier, freeze-dry

freshwater (n., adj.)

front-of-pack (adj.)

fruit fly

fruit-set (n.), set fruit (v.)

fruit tree

fuelwood not firewood

fulfil, fulfillable, fulfilled, fulfiller, fulfilling, fulfilment

full-cost (adj.)

full-scale (adj.), but at full scale

full time (n., adv.) full-time (adj.),

fundraiser (n.), fundraising (n., adj.) but raise funds (v.)

further see farther

G

gene bank preferred; genebank also accepted

gene flow, gene pool

geoprobe, geothermic

germ cell, germ line

germplasm

gigabyte (abbrev. GB)

gillnet

Global South

glycerine not glycerin

goat pox

goatskin

grainfed

gram (abbrev. g) not gramme

grassroots (n., adj.)

gravelled

green belt, green revolution

greenhouse not glasshouse

greenhouse gas abbrev. (GHG)

grey not gray

groundcover

ground nut (Apios americana)

groundnut or peanut (Apios hypogaea)

ground rent

ground truthing

groundwater, groundwork

guestimate avoid; guess or estimate preferred

guidebook, guidelines

guinea fowl, guinea pig

H

handbook

hand-delivered

handicraft (n.), handcraft (v.)

hand in hand, but Hand-in-Hand Initiative

handline (fishing term)

handout

hand-pollination (n.), hand-pollinate (v.)

handsaw

hand sprayer (n.), hand-spray (v.)

hand tools, hand weeding

hardback

hardcover

hardpan (soil term)

hard-wired (computer term)

hazelnut

headquarters not HQ

health care

health services not healthcare services

heartwood

heat-resistant

heavy-duty (adj.)

hectare (abbrev. ha)

herder not herdsman

herdowner

heterogeneous composed of parts of different kinds; mixed

heterogenous having origin in an outside source

high-yielding varieties (abbrev. HYVs)

hillside, hilltop

historic, historical not interchangeable. A historic event (NB not an historic event) is one that makes history, even if recent; a historical event is one that occurred in the past and has been recorded by historians

home care

homegrown, homemade

home page

homespun

homogeneous consisting of parts of the same kind

homogenous corresponding in structure because of common origin

honey bee

honeycomb, honeydew

honorary, honour, honourable

hoof, pl. hooves

-hopper compounds closed up, e.g. grasshopper, leafhopper, planthopper, ricehopper

horse pox

horticulturist

hot spot

households

hydro- compounds closed up

I

ibid. not italicized

idem not italicized

i.e. not italicized, not followed by a comma

ill- hyphenate compounds used as adjectives, e.g. ill-gotten, ill-natured, ill-omened

immunoassay

impact (n.), should not be used as a verb

imperilled

imprest fund or account

inbred, inbreeding

inbuilt

income-earning (adj.)

in-country

in-depth

index, pl. indexes (books), indices (when technical or statistical)

Indigenous Peoples capitalize both words

infra-axillary

infrared (adj.)

infrastructure

in-house

innovate

inoculate

inquire, inquiry use enquire, enquiry

in-service

in situ italicized

install, installation, instalment

instil

insure for insurance policies only (cf. ensure)

in vitro italicized

in vivo italicized

inter- compounds closed up, e.g. interaction, interconnectivity, interdepartmental, intergenerational, intergovernmental, interregional, interrelated, intersectoral (preferred to cross-sectoral), intertemporal, but note inter-country

inter alia italicized

intern (n., v.) not interne

internet

intra- compounds closed up, except before a vowel, but note intra-country

intranet

inward (adj.), inwards (adv.)

J

Jr (abbrev.) not preceded by a comma and not followed by a full stop, e.g. John Jones Jr

judgement (judgment [law] – a judge or court’s formal ruling)

K

kat not khat or qat; an evergreen shrub of the Near East

kharif summer growing season in parts of Near East and South Asia (opposite of rabi)

kilobyte (abbrev. KB), computer term

kilocalorie (abbrev. kcal) preferred to calorie as a measure of food energy

kilogram (abbrev. kg) not kilogramme

kilometre (abbrev. km) not kilometer

knowledgeable

kumquat not cumquat

L

labelled, labelling

laborious

labour

labour force

labour-intensive

labourer

laissez-passer italicized

lakh not lac (Anglo-Indian term meaning one hundred thousand, used for rupees)

lambskin, lambswool

landfill, landform

landholder, landholding

landlocked, but note Land Locked Developing Countries

landmark

landmass, landmine

landowner, landownership

land-poor

landrace, landslide

land use, land-use planning

large scale (n.), large-scale (adj.)

lastly avoid

layout (n.), lay out (v.)

lead (n., pres. v.), led (past, past part.)

lead time

leaf blight, leaf curl

leafhopper, leafminer

leaf roll

leaf spot disease, leaf spotting

learned not learnt

leaseholder

least-cost (adj.)

least developed countries (abbrev. LDCs)

lend (v.), but loan (n.)

liaise

licence (n.), license (v.)

licensee, licensor

life cycle (n.), life-cycle (adj).

lifelong

life-saving

lifespan

lifestyle, lifetime

-like compounds usually hyphenated, e.g. business-like, but note lifelike

line drawing

liquefaction, liquefy

litchi not lichee, lychee, lichi

litre not liter

live weight (n.)

log-on (adj.), log on (v.)

longhorn

long-lasting

longline

longstanding (adj.)

long term (n.), long-term (adj.)

lookout (n.)

loose-leaf (adj.)

lower-bound (adj.)

lower-middle-income (adj.)

lowest-cost (adj.)

M

M&E (abbrev.) monitoring and evaluation

macro- all compounds closed up, e.g. macroeconomic

maize meal, maize oil

mango, pl. mangoes

Masai or Maasai follow author’s use

marketplace

mark-up (n.)

mass media

Master of Arts degree (MA), but master's degree

Master of Science degree (MSc), but master's degree

maximum, pl. maxima

meagre not meager

mealybug

medical terms use lower case for names of diseases, syndromes, tests, etc., except for proper names contained therein (Hodgkin’s disease, Wasserman test). Names of diseases deriving from infectious organisms should be lower case and roman, e.g. trichinosis

medium term (n.), medium-term (adj.)

megabyte (abbrev. MB)

member countries avoid with reference to FAO

Member Nations

Members as in FAO Members 

Member States avoid with reference to FAO

memorandum, pl. memoranda

merchandise (n., v.)

meter object that measures, metre unit of measure

micro- compounds usually closed up, e.g. microeconomics

mid- compounds: mid-1980s, mid-year, mid-point, mid-term, but midday, midnight, midsummer, midway, midweek

middle age (n.), middle-aged (adj.)

Middle East use Near East (except in MINEADEP and other cases when specifically required)

middle-sized use medium-sized

middleman use intermediary

midway (n., adj.)

millennium, pl. millennia

mini- compounds closed up, e.g. minibus, minicassette

minimum, pl. minima

misadvice (n.), misadvise (v.)

mollusc not mollusk

mono- compounds closed up except when followed by a vowel, e.g. mono-unsaturated

mortise not mortice

mosquito-borne

motorcycle, motorcyclist

motor-driven

motor nerve, motor spirit, motor vehicle

mould (n., v.) not mold

mouldboard

moulder

moulding

moult (v.) not molt

movable

mucus (n.), mucous (adj.)

multi- compounds closed up unless followed by a vowel

multinational see transnational

mung bean

Muslim not Moslem

N

net-buyers (n.)

newsletter

night-time

non- compounds usually hyphenated, but note nonconformity

no one

north, northeast, northeastern, northern, North, Northeast, Northeastern, Northern see 8 Capitalization

north temperate zone

northward (adj.), northwards (adv.)

northwest, northwestern see north, but note North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan

notebook

noticeable

no-till (adj.) farming

nutrient-adequate (adj.)

nutrient-dense (adj.)

nutrition adequate diet

nutrition-poor (adj.)

nutrition-sensitive (adj.)

nutritious foods

nut-tree

O

ochre

odoriferous

odorous, odour, odourless

off-farm (adj.)

offence but note offensive

offline

off-season

offset, offshoot, offshore

offsite

off-type non-standard plant variety

oilcake, oilcrop, oilmeal

oil palm

oilseed

on-farm (adj.)

ongoing (adj.) no hyphen

online

onshore

onsite

onward (adj.), onwards (adv.)

op cit. not italicized

organize, organization with ‘z’ unless part of a name that uses ‘s’, e.g. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

orient not orientate

out- compounds closed up

outside not outside of

outward (adj.), outwards (adv.)

over- compounds usually closed up

owing see due

P

paddy rice

paddy field

palm oil

pan- if the second part of the compound is lower case, close up, e.g. pantheism; otherwise hyphenate, e.g. pan-American, pan-Germanism, pan-Hellenic, pan-Slavism

papaw use for Asimina triloba only

papaya use for Carica papaya only

paperback

para- compounds closed up

parallel, paralleled

particle board

part-time (adj.), part time (adv.)

pastureland

payoff (n.)

peacekeeping

peanut or groundnut use for Arachis hypogaea

peatland(s)

peatmoss

pedagogue

per annum not italicized

per capita preferred to per caput; not italicized

percent not per cent; use % only in figures and tables, e.g. 3% (no space)

per diem not italicized

peri-urban

Persian avoid; Iranian or of the Islamic Republic of Iran preferred

Persian Gulf standard geographical designation for the body of water lying between the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic Republic of Iran; however, in documents, publications or statements emanating from a Member Government or intergovernmental organization, the original designation should be retained

person-day

per-unit (adj.)

Petri dish

PhD Doctor of Philosophy

phosphorus (n.) the element, phosphorous (adj.) containing phosphorus

photo- compounds closed up, e.g. photoelectric, photocopier (n.), photocopy (n., v.)

phyto- compounds closed up

piece rate (n.), piece-rate (adj.)

piecework

pigeon pea

pig meat

pigskin

pigsty, (pl.) pigsties

pimento, (pl.) pimentos

pipeline

pisciculture

plant- and animal-sourced (adj.)

plant-based (adj.)

plant-forward (adj.)

planthopper

plateau, pl. plateaus not plateaux

plough not plow

pod borer

policymaker, policymaking

poly- compounds closed up, e.g. polyunsaturated

polyethylene not polythene

post- compounds usually closed up except where confusion might arise, e.g. post-harvest or when followed by “t”, e.g. post-translational

power-saw

p. referring to one specific page, pp. referring to a series of pages, e.g. p. 40, pp. 40–42

practice (n.), practise (v.)

pre- compounds closed up except where confusion might arise, e.g. pre-empt, pre-set, pre-test, pre-war

prescribe to recommend or impose a practice, etc.

pretence not pretense

prevalence 

preventive not preventative

price fixing

prima facie not italicized

printout (n.), print out (v.)

print run

privilege

proactive

problematic not problematical

pro forma

program, programmer (computer terms)

programme for all non-computer uses (except where part of a proper name)

-proof compounds usually closed up but note acid-proof, failure-proof, gas-proof

propel, propeller

prophecy (n.), prophesy (v.)

prorate

proscribe to prevent or ban a practice, etc.

protein-rich (adj.)

proved has (been) proved, but proven ability or case

prototype

provitamin A

pure-bred (n., adj.)

purse seine (n.), purse-seine (v.)

Q

quasi avoid where possible; if necessary to use, hyphenate, e.g. quasi-official

R

R&D (abbrev.) research and development

rabi winter growing season in parts of Near East and South Asia (opposite of kharif)

rachis, pl. rachides

rainfall, rainfed

rainforest

rainstorm, rainwater

-raising compounds hyphenated, e.g. cattle-raising

rangeland

rapeseed oil

re- compounds closed up except when followed by “e” or where necessary to distinguish meaning, e.g. re-count, re-sort, re-cover, re-form

real time (n.), real-time (adj.)

record-keeping

recur, recurrence not reoccur or reoccurrence

reduced impact logging not reduced-impact logging

reforestation not reafforestation

regime no accent

regrettable

religions, religious groups capitalize the names of religions, churches and religious groups, but do not capitalize the word church (or order, movement, heresy, etc.), e.g. the Roman Catholic church; for places of worship, capitalize the word church, temple, mosque, etc. only if it is part of the name of the building or place

remote sensing

revoke but revocable

rhizogenesis not rhyzogenesis

rights holder, pl. rights holders

rigour, rigorous

ringbark (v.)

ringspot

riverbank, riverbed, riverside

roadside

root crop

root-knot nematode

root rot

rootstock

round table (n.), round-table (adj.)

roundwood

rumour not rumor

runoff

ryegrass

S

Sahara the Sahara, not the Sahara Desert

Sahel, the

Sahelian zone

saltbush

salt-lick

saltwater (n., adj.)

sandbank

sand dune

sandstorm

sapwood

savannah not savanna

sawdust, sawlogs, sawmill

sawntimber, sawnwood

sawpit, sawtimber

scaling up

sceptical not skeptical

schoolbooks

schoolchildren

school-leaver, school-leaving

schoolteacher

scoop net

seabed, seafloor

sea freight (n.), sea-freight (adj.)

‍sea level (n.), sea-level (adj.)

sea moss

sea wall

seawater

Second World War not World War II

sectoral not sectorial

seed bank, seed bed

seed-borne, seed-coat

seed lot

self- compounds all hyphenated

semi-arid

serosurveillance

setback (n.), set back (v.)

sewing machine

shade house not shadehouse

sharecropper, sharecropping

sheep meat, sheep pox

sheepskin

shelf-life

shelterbelt

shortfall

shorthorn

short-lived

short term (n.), short-term (adj.)

short wave (n.), short-wave (adj.)

shutdown (n.), shut-down (adj.), shut down (v.)

side-effect

sideline

SIDS see Small Island Developing States

silage, ensilage silage is the product of the process of ensilage

silkworm

silvi- compounds closed up unless followed by
a vowel

sirocco, pl. siroccos

sizeable

siphon not syphon

skilful not skillful

skimmed milk, skim milk follow author’s use

-skin compounds closed up, e.g. goatskin

slaughterhouse

slowdown (n.), slow down (v.)

smallholder, smallholding

Small Island Developing States (abbrev. SIDS) all upper case when referring to the group, all lower case when referring to a single state (small island developing state)

small scale (n.), small-scale (adj.)

smoulder not smolder

social costs not societal costs

socio- compounds usually closed up

socioeconomic

sociometric, sociometry

soft cover

soil-borne

soja bean avoid; use soybean

south, southeast, southeastern, southern, South, Southeast, Southeastern, Southern see 8 Capitalization but South-eastern Asia in State of Food Security and Nutrition reports only

south temperate zone

southward (adj.), southwards (adv.)

southwest, southwestern see south

soybean not soyabean or soja bean

speciality not specialty

spectre not specter

spelled not spelt

spillover (n.), spill over (v.)

spreadsheet

St not St. (contraction for Saint)

stall-feed, stall-feeding

stalk borer

standby (n.), stand by (v.)

staple-based diet

staple food

starting-point

state lower case when referring generally to nations or divisions of a nation; upper case when a specific state is named, e.g. State of New York; but state-owned enterprise, head of state

statewide

stationary not moving; stationery paper, pens, etc.

status quo not italicized

stem borer, stem rot

stockbreeder

stock owners

stockpile

stone-fruit

stopgap

storehouse, storeroom

storey, pl. storeys preferred spelling for floor(s) of a building

stratum, pl. strata

sub- compounds closed up unless followed by “b”, e.g. sub-basin; note sub-Saharan

subject matter

sugar beet (n.), sugarbeet (adj.)

sugar cane (n.), sugarcane (adj.)

sugar-gum

sugar refinery

sugar-sweetened beverages

sulphur not sulfur

sun-dried (adj.), sun dry (v.)

sunflower seed (n.), sunflower-seed (adj.)

supersede never supercede

supply-driven

symposium, pl. symposia

synthesis, pl. syntheses

syphon use siphon

T

takeoff (n.), take off (v.)

takeover (n.), take over (v.)

tap-root, tap-water

tape recorder (n.), tape-record (v.)

target (v.), targeted (past part.)

taskforce

teamwork

testcross (n., v.)

test run

test-tube

thiamine not thiamin

Third World use developing countries

tick-borne

timberland, timberline

time frame, time lag, time limit

time-saving

timescale, time series

timetable

tiro not tyro

titration, titre

tobacco, pl. tobaccos

tonne refers to metric tonne; avoid ton unless referring to shipping vessel tons

toolkit

top-down (adj.)

top-dressing (n.), top-dress (v.)

top-graft

topsoil

totalled, totalling

towards not toward

tradable

trade-off

trafficking, trafficker

trans- compounds closed up

transferring

transhumance

transnational the correct word for a corporation that operates across international boundaries is transnational, not multinational, which implies ownership by more than one nationality

transship, transshipment

travelled, traveller

trawl-line

trawlnet

treatise

tree fruit, tree line

trifurcate

tri-junction

troubleshoot, troubleshooter

trypanoprophylactic not trypano-preventive

trypanosomosis not trypanosomiasis

trypanotolerance, trypanotolerant

tsetse fly

tubewell

turnaround

turnover

tyre (n.) not tire

U

ultra- compounds generally closed up, e.g. ultrasonic, ultraviolet

under- compounds generally closed up unless followed by “r”, e.g. under-represented

understorey

underway

update (n.), up-to-date (adj.), but bring up to date (v.)

upgrade, upland

upper-middle-income (adj.)

up-river

uproot, uprooted

upward (adj.), upwards (adv.)

usable not useable

V

value added (n.), value-added (adj.)

vaporific, vaporiform, vaporimeter

vaporize

vaporous, vapour not vapor

vapour burner

vector-borne

vein banding, vein clearing

veldt

versus (abbrev. vs) not italicized; (abbrev. v. for legal cases) italicized

veterinarian

vice versa not italicized

vicuña not vicuna

video camera

videocassette

video display

video recorder

videotape

Viet Nam but Vietnamese

viewfinder

viewpoint

vigorous, vigour

W

wadi not italicized

wage-earner

-ward (adj.), -wards (adv.), e.g. an upward movement, moving upwards

Washington, DC

wastewater

waterbird, waterbody

waterborne preferred; water-borne also accepted

water buffalo

watercourse, waterfall

water-flea

waterfowl

water-hole

water level (n.), water-level (adj.)

waterline

watermark

watermelon

water-power

waterproof

watershed

water-soluble

water supply (n.), water-supply (adj.)

water table (n.), water-table (adj.)

watertight

water-tower

waterway

water-weed

wavelength

webworm

website

weed-killer

weekday, weekend

well-being

wellwater

west, western, West, Western see 8 Capitalization

wetlands

while not whilst

whiteboard, whitefly

wholemeal

-wide compounds: close up countrywide, nationwide, worldwide; hyphenate economy-wide, island-wide, organization-wide, system-wide

wide-ranging, wide-reaching

widescale (adj.), but on a wide scale

widespread

wildland, wildlife

windbreak (n.)

wind-row

-wise compounds – avoid except in words such as clockwise

-wood compounds closed up, e.g. brushwood, budwood, cordwood, fuelwood, hardwood, sawnwood

wood ash

woodcutter, woodfuel, woodlot

wood stove

woodwork

woollen not woolen

workday, workbench, workforce, workload

worker not workman

workplace

workplan

workroom, worksheet, workshop

work site

workstation, worktable

World Wide Web

Y

yearbook

year-end (adj.), year-long (adj.), year-round (adj.)

yoghurt

Z

zero-grazing

zeros not zeroes