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What's the thing which correct text by white fluid applying called in English?

The dictionary in my native language says it's called: correcting fluid, or white-out, but in fact my classmates call it 'corrector' (as it's called in the eastern Europe countries: Russian, Ukraine, Belarus, Polish, and many other languages such as: Spanish, Bulgarian etc.). Is it wrong?

Image of examples of things for applying white fluid to correct text

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    Your dictionary is correct; it's generally called "correction fluid" (or "correction tape", in the case of the solid version, like the lower right of your picture) or "white-out" (which was originally a brand name, "wite-out") in casual speech. Jul 27, 2018 at 15:15
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    It would be nice to know the ages of those responding here. I have to say I have never heard anyone call this "correction fluid" in an actual work (office) situation. And, today, it has mostly disappeared from use. Corrector is not used in AmE.
    – Lambie
    Jul 27, 2018 at 16:19
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    Do you care what people actually say or some technical expression from Wikipedia. That may be the technical term, but it is not used in offices. in 35 years of office work, I only have heard white out (AmE) and tippex (BrE).
    – Lambie
    Jul 27, 2018 at 16:23
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    I work in a UK office where some legal documents must be original and unaltered. The instructions say "Do not use correction fluid on this form" but if a submitter has ignored that, our staff universally say "Hey! This one's got Tipp-Ex on it!". You often see 'tippex' for Tipp-Ex in emails about this topic. Jul 27, 2018 at 16:42
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    This is generating quite a lot of discussion, both technical & comedic... for something I haven't even seen in use in the past 25 years, since we all got computers & printers ;-) Jul 27, 2018 at 17:27

3 Answers 3

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It's correction fluid or tape.

Wite Out, Liquid Paper & Tipp-Ex are all brand names, though they tend to be used as generic descriptions too, like Hoover is used for vacuum cleaners.

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  • Ironically, Hoover is not commonly used generically in the U.S., although it would be understood. Googling might be a more universal example.
    – choster
    Jul 27, 2018 at 15:26
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    Yeah - same happens with sticky tape [sellotape/duck tape] & others. The pond is a real product splitter ;-) Jul 27, 2018 at 15:34
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    Sellotape for leftpondians is scotch tape, which has been largely genericized; however, 3M clings to the Scotch trademark by sticking it in other things like Scotchgard and Scotchlite. A most interesting case is Bic, which I have heard used generically for a disposable cigarette lighter, a ballpoint pen, and a disposable razor, and I can only imagine the everyday disasters that might unfold as a result.
    – choster
    Jul 27, 2018 at 15:40
  • Possibly with slightly less embarrassment factor than the potential for Durex Jul 27, 2018 at 15:50
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    In offices I've worked in, it was always called "white out" in casual conversation, and "correction fluid" in any sort of formal written document. I don't know if the Wite Out people still own a trademark on that, if so, you might hear from their lawyers if you use the term generically. Of course since typewriters went the way of the dodo bird, I don't think I've heard anyone talk about white out, correction fluid, or any equivalent term in many years.
    – Jay
    Jul 27, 2018 at 17:12
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What things are called is highly dependent on locale. Even within the U.S. there is considerable variation in terminology for everyday items,

In North America, the image you provide depicts bottles of correction fluid as well as correction tape and a correction pen. I have never heard correcting fluid or corrector, but they could be in use in other parts of the world.

correction fluid mass noun An opaque liquid painted over a typed or written error so as to allow for the insertion of the correct character. [Oxford Living Dictionaries]

White-out is also common in North America, likely a genericization of Wite-Out, which is a BIC brand of correction fluid. By the same token, Tipp-Ex may be used in Europe, though no one on this side of the Atlantic has ever heard of it.

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Yes, its called all those things: "correction fluid" and "white-out" are probably the most common but "corrector" is also reasonable, in context. It is also often called by one of the brand names "Tippex" and "liquid paper" are possible.

I (a Brit) would use "tippex" for the white liquid and "correction tape" for the white tape.

Remove any correction tape or correction fluid (e.g. tippex) from your pencil case as you cannot take these into an exam. (Birmingham University exam regulations)

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