Well, "refrigerator" was originally "refrigeratory" back in the 1600's. About 1840, the new spelling took over as a cabinet to keep things (often beer) cold. As some have noted, spelling in English is not logical, and unlike some other languages (French and Spanish come first to mind), there is no single recognized authority which rules on the introduction (and spelling) of new words. Many English words are borrowed from other languages, while others are invented. Grammar and usage in English is also fluid and changes over time. English has been regularizing the pronunciation and spelling of "strong" verbs which originally came from German. Over the past 100 years, "lighted" has gradually replaced "lit"; "learned" is replacing "learnt"; "leaped" is replacing "leapt"; "kneeled" is replaced "knelt"; etc. There are even vestiges of male and female forms of words in English. Blonde refers to the hair color of a woman, but blond is correct for a man. Brunette is used for a woman, but the male form "brun" has passed completely out of usage.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008