# Spelling question involving the letter "d" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432 "2025-12-05T17:44:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/1 "2025-12-05T17:44:24Z")
Why is there a “d” in “fridge” but not in “refrigerator”? ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/2 "2025-12-05T17:46:28Z")
It’s from Frigidaire? ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/3 "2025-12-05T17:49:03Z")
Because otherwise it would be “frig.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/4 "2025-12-05T17:50:40Z")
Or, more logically, “frige”. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/5 "2025-12-05T18:04:21Z")
According to Google AI, “fridge is an informal, shortened version of refrigerator stemming from the same root and gaining popularity as a common nickname for the appliance, with the ‘d’ added for spelling clarity to maintain the soft ‘j’ sound like in ‘bridge’ or ‘fudge’. It became popular in the early 20th century as people looked for quicker ways to say the long word.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/6 "2025-12-05T18:05:56Z")
You can spell Ice box without a _d._ ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/7 "2025-12-05T19:19:37Z")
It was originally a spoken abbreviation. When people tried to spell it out, they used the most common English spelling rules. There are two main ways to spell the J sound at the ends of words in English: -dge and -ge. -dge is used for “short vowels”, as it has two constants between the vowels. Adding a D does not change the siind if the consonant, as the soft G/J sound ([d͡ʒ]) already contains a [d]. So it’s more like doubling a consonant. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/8 "2025-12-05T22:12:38Z")
For the same reason there’s a “k” in “bike” but not in “bicycle”. ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/9 "2025-12-05T23:08:57Z")
I wish it was the same for mic/microphone. I keep thinking “Mick" when I see mic. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/10 "2025-12-05T23:17:36Z")
> [@Tabco](#): > > I keep thinking “Mick" when I see mic. There’s a youtuber I watch called “Mic The Snare”. The shortened name of microphone, mic, is pronounced ‘mike’ and his name is Mike and I still think “Mick The Snare” anytime I see his videos pop up. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/11 "2025-12-05T23:25:55Z")
An administrative assistant where I work always spelled fridge ‘frig.’ ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/12 "2025-12-05T23:33:44Z")
I guess she didn’t realize “frig” is a less vulgar way to say “fuck.” ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/13 "2025-12-05T23:35:18Z")
It has other meanings too. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/14 "2025-12-05T23:40:45Z")
Why do some people shorten ‘vegetables’ to ‘veges,’ while some choose ‘veggies’? I dunno. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/15 "2025-12-06T01:16:14Z")
The long form of the abbreviation BBQ is barbecue, not barbeque. But it works much better as BBQ than BBC, phonetically. Also, I think BBC is initials for something you probably don’t want to go googling for. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/16 "2025-12-06T01:17:13Z")
Andrew Zimmerin says “vegables” Just decimates the word vegetables. I’m ok with it. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/17 "2025-12-06T01:52:01Z")
There are no FQ answers for any query on English spelling rules. It just is. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/18 "2025-12-06T01:55:35Z")
> [@solost](#): > > The long form of the abbreviation BBQ is barbecue, not barbeque. But it works much better as BBQ than BBC, phonetically. I awlays thought barbeque was the correct spelling and -cue was lazy spelling…? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/19 "2025-12-06T02:30:49Z")
Proper spelling should be “frij.” ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432/20 "2025-12-06T02:49:16Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > I awlays thought barbeque was the correct spelling and -cue was lazy spelling…? The original was _barabicu_ (phonetically) in the native language in Florida and the Caribbean, which became _barbacoa_ in Spanish. Today, _barbecue_ is the most common spelling in English-speaking countries, though Australia, New Zealand, and (rarely) the US spell it _barbeque_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spelling-question-involving-the-letter-d/1025432.md?page=2)