Same sound, different use
buses vs busses
Same sound, different meaning and spelling
Buses is the usual plural of bus. Busses is primarily the plural or verb form of buss, meaning kiss, though it has also appeared as a less common bus spelling.
Context decides
Use the modern vehicle spelling unless you mean kisses
Both spellings produce the same /sɪz/ ending, so current convention and meaning decide.
Vehicles or transportation: buses
Use buses for the plural of bus and the verb meaning carries people by bus.
The school buses arrive at eight.
Kisses: busses
Use busses only for forms of the uncommon noun or verb buss, meaning kiss.
The old poem describes greetings and busses.
Direct answer
What is the difference?
Use buses for multiple vehicles and for the third-person verb meaning transports by bus. Use busses when referring to more than one buss, an old-fashioned word for a kiss, or the act of kissing. Some dictionaries record busses as a variant plural of bus, but buses is now the clear standard and avoids ambiguity.
Optional listening · American English
Hear the shared pronunciation
These terms share a standard pronunciation. Use the recordings to learn the sound, then use meaning and context to choose the spelling.
Word 1
buses
plural noun or verb
More than one bus; also, transports people by bus.
US pronunciation
/ˈbʌsɪz/
UK IPA
/ˈbʌsɪz/
Hear three samples
How to pronounce it
Stress BUS, then add a separate “iz” syllable. The plural ending is voiced after the S sound.
Word 2
busses
plural noun or verb
Kisses or gives kisses; historically, also a variant spelling of buses.
US pronunciation
/ˈbʌsɪz/
UK IPA
/ˈbʌsɪz/
Hear three samples
How to pronounce it
Use exactly the same two syllables as buses. The doubled S changes the spelling convention, not the sound.
Listen in context
6 example sentences
Context makes meaning, grammar, and natural rhythm easier to understand. Every sentence has its own playback.
Examples with
buses
- Two buses stop near the main entrance.
- The district buses students from rural areas.
- Electric buses now serve this route.
Examples with
busses
- The novel mentions embraces and busses at the reunion.
- She busses the child gently on the cheek.
- Older texts sometimes spell the vehicle plural as busses.