Organize vs. Organise

They hired a professional to help organize their wedding.

His office is a mess. He needs someone to help him organise his work.

Organise and organize are the two spellings of the same word, but which one is acceptable? The one with an s or a z? Can you tell which of the above mentioned sentences makes use of the right spellings of the word? If you are having difficulty answering your questions, you should read on this article as this explains the meaning of organize along with the right spellings and when to use which spellings.

Origin:

Organize originated from late Middle English: from medieval Latin organizare, from Latin organum ‘instrument, tool’ like organ.

Organize as verb:

Organize is used as a verb in English language which means to arrange systematically; order.

Organize lessons in a planned way.

To coordinate the activities of (a person or group) efficiently is also termed as organize.

She was unsuited to anything where she had to organize herself.

Organize also means to form (a number of people) into a trade union or other political group.

We all believed in the need to organize women.

To make arrangements or preparations for (an event or activity) is another sense in which organize is used.

Social programs are organized by the school.

An old meaning of the verb is to arrange or form into a living being or tissue.

The soul doth organize the body.

Use of organize:

Organise with an s are the old spellings of the word when it was founded from the Latin language but these spellings are a bit out of date today. Organise with an s is still used in British English though, and those of you writing for British audiences should use these spellings.

Examples:

Don’t mourn, organise: a seven-step plan for fighting back against the Brexit vote Katherine Craig. (The Guardian)

Use of organize:

The modern spellings of the word exchanged the s with a z which is the work of an American lexicographer, Noah Webster who thought there ought to be some changes made in the original English language for the Americans. So, these spellings are used in American English and are gaining a lot of importance worldwide.

Examples:

Having an efficient system to file and otherwise organize these documents can save frustration and time. [Los Angeles Times]

If organized labour is as great for workers as its  supporters claim, why are so few people fighting to save it? [National Post]

Although they lost to New England, the Ravens’ organization remains stable. [Wall Street Journal]

Organize or organise:

Organise and organize are different spellings of the same word. Organize is the preferred spelling in the U.S. and Canada, and organise is more common outside North America. This extends to all the word’s derivatives, including organized/organised, organizing/organising, and organization/organisation. Your choice of the spellings depend upon your audience, your preference and nationality, but stick to the spellings you chose throughout your piece of writing.