A statue is a sculpted figure of a person or animal — "a bronze statue of Queen Victoria stands in the square". A statute is a written law passed by a legislature — "the practice was banned by a statute in 1998". They differ by a single letter and share no meaning at all.
The core difference
A statue is an object: a three-dimensional sculpture, usually of a human or animal figure, carved or cast in stone, marble, bronze or wood. A statute is a document: a law formally enacted by a parliament, congress or other legislature, as opposed to a rule that comes from a court decision or a regulator.
How to use statue
Statues stand, are unveiled, are toppled, are covered in pigeons.
- They pulled down the statue of the founder in 2020.
- He stood as still as a statue while the bee circled him.
- The garden centre sells concrete statues of herons to scare off cats.
How to use statute
Statutes are passed, enacted, repealed and cited. Most people meet the word in fixed phrases: statute of limitations (the deadline for bringing a legal claim), statutory rights, statute book.
- The offence is defined by statute, not by common law.
- The statute of limitations on the debt had already expired.
- Employees have a statutory right to a written contract.
The test that settles it
Ask whether the thing could be photographed or cited. You photograph a statue; you cite a statute. If you can substitute "sculpture", you want statue. If you can substitute "law" or "act", you want statute.
Spelling follows the same logic: statute shares its letters with constitution and institute — all official, legal, written things. A statue is shorter, like the plinth it sits on.
Watch the third word: stature
The pair is really a trio. Stature means a person's height, or, more often, their standing and reputation: "a scientist of international stature", "a man of slight stature". Writers reaching for "statue" or "statute" sometimes land on this one by accident, and spellcheckers will not save you, because all three are real words.
Pronunciation helps
They are not homophones. Statue is two syllables, STATCH-oo. Statute is STATCH-oot, with a clear T at the end. Stature ends in the same sound as nature. Saying a sentence aloud usually exposes the wrong word before your eyes catch it.
The mistake that actually appears
Almost all real-world errors run in one direction: people write "statue of limitations". There is no such thing. The phrase is statute of limitations, because it is a rule set down in law, not a monument.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it "statue of limitations" or "statute of limitations"?
Statute of limitations. It refers to a law setting a time limit for bringing a legal claim, so it takes statute, the legal word. "Statue of limitations" is one of the most common typos in English legal writing.
What does statutory mean?
Statutory means required or created by statute — that is, by written law. "Statutory holiday" and "statutory rights" are entitlements set out in legislation rather than agreed privately. There is no adjective formed from statue.
Do statue and statute sound the same?
No. Statue is STATCH-oo; statute is STATCH-oot, with a final T. Reading a sentence aloud is a quick way to catch the wrong one.