Tires/Tired

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  1. Alex:

    If tire comes from attire, how come here in Britain, and in most other English speaking countries, we spell it tyre? Where did the ‘y’ come from?

  2. John:

    My understanding that as a vowel, “I” and “Y” are somewhat fluid and interchangeable. Originally “Tire” was spelled “Tyre”. It then converted to “Tire”. Some time ago after the 16th or 17th century in England it was revived to “Tyre” but in the States it stayed “Tire”.