Why do British speakers say “on holiday” instead of “on vacation”?

British and American English split on a small but very common phrase: time off from work. Britons say “I’m on holiday” (or “I’m on my holidays”). Americans say “I’m on vacation.” The two phrases mean exactly the same thing, but each side often finds the other’s version surprising. The word holiday in British English covers any trip away or paid time off, including a single day. In American English, holiday usually means a public holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving, not a personal trip.

In this clip, a British journalist named Rob says, “I’m in Poland. I’m not on holiday. I’m here for work.” The phrase on holiday places him squarely in British English from the first sentence.