🌍 American vs British · vocabulary

garbage can vs bin

A container for holding waste until it is collected or emptied.

American
garbage can

“Toss that wrapper in the garbage can by the door.”

British
bin

“Toss that wrapper in the bin by the door.”

Good to know

Americans say 'garbage can' (or 'trash can') while the British simply say 'bin' (or 'rubbish bin', and 'dustbin' for the outdoor one). 'Bin' is also widely used as a verb in Britain, meaning to throw something away.

Related comparisons

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