English vocabulary: use vs usage

From time to time I get questions from students about the difference between the words “use“ and “usage”, especially since in many languages there’s only one word that covers both meanings. 

If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find that many websites offer a deceptively simple explanation, saying that “use” is a verb while “usage” is a noun. That’s not very helpful at all, as what people find confusing is the difference between the noun “use” [juːs] and the noun “usage” [ˈjuː.sɪdʒ], and not the difference between completely different parts of speech.

Both words come from the Latin word usus, which can mean anything from use to employment, practice, custom, behaviour… 

The English noun USE has largely retained this wide variety of meanings. Here’s just a selection of the main ones, as listed in the Collins Dictionary (you can see the full entry here):

• the act of using or the state of being used
• the ability, right, or permission to use
• the occasion to use; need
• an instance or manner of using
• usefulness; advantage
• custom; practice; habit
• the purpose for which something is used; end

At first glance, the noun USAGE has a very similar standard definition. Again, here’s how Collins Dictionary defines it:

• the act or a manner of using
• constant use, custom, or habit

The main thing to remember here is that USAGE has a far more limited and specific use in particular contexts. For instance, when referring to languages, usage is the word we use when we describe how a language is actually used (sometimes in contrast to what is prescribed). English learners will surely remember very popular book titles such as “Practical English Usage” by Michael Swan or “Fowler’s Modern English Usage.”

Additionally, usage has an additional connotation of quantity – not simply the fact that something is used, but how much is used. (Merriam Webster defines this as “the action, amount, or mode of using.”) In this sense, you’ll hear people talk about energy usage, electricity usage, car usage etc. 

As you can see, the difference between the two nouns is a subtle one. If you’re ever in a dilemma, go with the noun use as it’s far more frequent, unless there’s a special context in which usage would be a better choice.

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If you speak German, compare the difference in meaning between the nouns Verwendung and Gebrauch. Or, if you’re a French speaker, note the difference between utilisation and usage. 

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