Overseas - oversees

The two words overseas and oversees can be confused, and some non-native speakers may not know the difference. (Most spell-checkers will accept either, without clearly understanding the grammar.)

• Overseas is most often an adjective. It is the equivalent of abroad or foreign. (Because Britain is an island, other countries are over the sea[s] from it.) The Post Office has different rates for overseas and home letters.

• Oversees is from the verb ‘to oversee’, meaning 'to supervise'. (See its inflections at Oversee.) A boss oversees the work of his or her department. Such a boss may be called an overseer. (The verb 'to supervise' is the English form of a direct Latin translation of the elements of 'to oversee': super being Latin for 'over', and vise being part of the verb meaning 'to see'.)