Whether it is “useage” or “usage,” apparently not just a few people have this confusion. The correct way of spelling is not so clear because the base word is “use.” So, do we just add the suffix “age,” or do we have to drop the “e” at the end of “use” and just then add “age“? Well, that is why we are here, to clear everything up for you.
The accurate way to write down this term is “usage.” The word “useage” is considered to be a common misspelling of “usage.” Although it is a misspelling, some people were taught it is correct to use the misspelled word “useage” instead of “usage.”
This time, the U.S. and U.K. agree to use the exact same spelling for this word, and they prefer to use “usage” and not so much “useage.” The Oxford English Dictionary and U.S. spelling checkers do not recognize “useage” as a word, not even as a variant or an alternative spelling.
In this article, we will discuss the different meanings of “usage” as well as some related words, their etymology, and some examples of the use of this term.
Definition Of “Usage”
Depending on the context you are using the word “usage,” the definition may vary slightly. The following are the most common meanings for this word:
- “Usage” relates to how words are actually used in certain situations, particularly in relation to their meanings.
- It is the degree to which a particular thing is used or the way a thing is used.
- “Usage” is also used to talk about something that has been permitted or established by practice or custom.
Origin And Etymology
The word “usage” was first recorded around 1250 and 1300. It comes from Middle English, Anglo-French, Old French, and finally from Medieval Latin.
The Latin word that originated this term is “ūsāticum,” which is composed as follows:
ūs (us) (which is believed to be the origin of the word “use“) + -āticum (-age).
Similar Words
The words “use” and “usage” are related in meaning and origin. Sometimes, they can even overlap in the way they are employed. Other words that could be used instead of “usage” are:
- Utilization
- Employment
- Operation
- Manipulation
- Handling
- Application
How To Properly Use “Usage” In A Sentence
There are several ways in how the word “usage” can be used. In the list below, we will discuss a few of them:
- When we talk about an action that has become a social norm:
- The usage of iPads and other tablets in colleges and universities has become common.
- When we talk about the use of a word in a language or language in general:
- The first usage of this word is recorded around 1250 and 1300.
- When we talk about the way or degree in which something can be used:
- Snowmobile gear is designed to resist extreme usage in challenging weather.
The word “usage” started to gain popularity at the end of the 18th century. It began to reach its highest peak in the 21st century.
List Of Examples Of “Usage” Used In Sentences
- In some sense, the term “official” tends to replace the word “officinal” in current usage.
- During classical times, the law remained to the restricted definition of sacrilegium. Still, it has come to imply almost the same as the English word in common usage.
- In commercial and financial usage, “cash” is sometimes limited to coins; it is occasionally applicable to banknotes in contrast to bills, drafts, or securities.
- According to recent usage, the term “sovereign state” refers to states with a large population that exercise the ordinary rights of a state without being governed.
- Meanwhile, he had dedicated Jeremiah’s Lamentations and the book of Revelation in Latin verse to the king, protesting about his brutal usage.
- Later, Latin usage of the word “catholic” developed to mean pretty much the same thing as “canonical,” another term also used.
- The natives’ civil laws are those developed by local usage.
- According to Chilean usage and custom, a ministry does not continue in office unless a majority in congress backs it.
- In recent years the usage of “chaos” refers to the condition of disorder and confusion.
- Lots of other people had complained about the usage they had experienced at his hands.
- Thanks to technology, marketers are able to use algorithms and applications to track each customer and potential customer’s usage trends and patterns.
- This may not seem rational, but continuous usage has made certain acts and behaviors tolerable and sometimes even required.
- Data throughput, mobile phone usage, messages exchanged, websites developed, the amount of online information, data transfer speed, and CPU performance are increasing.
- The term’s international usage, such as in French, is distinct, and this variation should be noted when the word is used in this context.
- “The Court thinks and adjudges that its prime minister has by usage a privilege, subject to His Majesty’s desire, to attend the Abbey at the coronation and carry the crystal mace,” the judgment on a further claim stated.
- There is an agreement to minimize water usage in the tourism and hospitality industry by applying the necessary policies and rules they think are convenient for the business and environment.
- In religious usage, a “retreat” is a time and location designated for prayer, self-examination, and other spiritual activities.
- The usage of the phrase “mechanical equivalent of heat” is a little hazy, but it has been around for a while that it is commonly used.
- There was no evidence of any adverse effects or mortality associated with medication usage in the patients’ medical records of the hospital.
- It is crucial to note that the excessive use of wood for fuel is a dominant contributor to deforestation, representing 75% of total energy use in 1983.
Other Collocations Of “Usage”
- Common usage
“It was once common usage to say of those who were deceived that their hopes had just been disappointed.” – Times, Sunday Times (2010)
- Fuel usage
The beginning of the era of electric cars could mean a stop to fossil fuel usage.
- Data usage
We can all manage to live without a kidney, but what about a week of voluntary pause in data usage?
- Gas usage
After using solar panels and moving to an electric stove and electric water heater, the Collins saw a significant change in gas usage.
- General usage
Fashion is going back in time, and 90’s styled jeans are making their way into general usage across the world.
- Restrict usage
During the Covid-19 quarantine, governments and authorities tried to restrict usage of some types of face masks due to not being completely safe and protective.
- Usage pattern
Mobile phones these days can track the user’s usage pattern and create a report on how each uses their phone, the data usage, and battery consumption of each application.
- Water usage
“The environmental impact includes unnecessary greenhouse-gas emissions, water usage, land degradation, exacerbation of world hunger, and deforestation.” – Times, Sunday Times.
- Word usage
The goal of the project that the Smithsonian Mag published was to understand why cultures vary so much in their word usage.
Final Thoughts
The word “useage” is a misspelled form of “usage,” which means the degree to which a particular thing is used or the way this thing is used; it could also be applied to words and languages. Also, another meaning that has been given to this term is an action that has become a social norm due to prolonged use. “Usage” started to gain the popularity that it has now by the end of the 18th century, and it could also be replaced with the word “use” in some contexts, but never with “useage“.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.