ISE and IZE .
The variation in the terminations ise and ize is due to the different derivations of words,—ize characterizing words from the Greek and Latin, and ise from the French. The rule, however, is not inflexible. The following words are commonly spelled with the s.
advertise
advise
affranchise
aggrandise
amortise
catechise
chastise
circumcise
comprise
compromise
criticise
demise
despise
devise
disfranchise
disguise
divertise
emprise
enfranchise
enterprise
exercise
exorcise
galliardise
manumise
merchandise
misprise (mistake)
premise
recognise
reprise (take again)
supervise
surmise
surprise