scripps spelling list.pdf

2014

SCHOOL PRONOUNCER GUIDE Spelling Only Edition

CONTENTS Merriam-Webster Pronunciation Symbols ................................................................................ 2 Guidelines Regarding Pronunciation and Language of Origin.................................................... 3 Tips for Spelling Bee Officials.......................................................................................................4 Rules for Local Spelling Bees........................................................................................................ 6 Words 1225: Words from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List ........................................ 11 Words 226375: Additional Words ........................................................................................... 51 Numerical Index of Spelling Words ..77

2013, Scripps National Spelling Bee

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Merriam-Webster Pronunciation Symbols

Merriam-Webster Pronunciation Symbols

..........banana, collect , .....humdrum ..........as in one pronunciation used by r-droppers for bird

(alternative \\) ..........two-value symbol equivalent to the unstressed variants \\,

\\, as in habit, duchess (\\ = \b, -\) ...........immediately preceding \\, \\, \\, \\, as in battle, mitten,

and in one pronunciation of cap and bells \--\, lock and key \--\; immediately following \\, \\, \\, as in one pronunciation of French table, prisme, titre

.........as in one pronunciation used by r-droppers for bird (alternative \\)

........operation; stressed, as in bird as pronounced by speakers who do not drop r; stressed and with centered period after the \\, as in one pronunciation of burry (alternative \\) and in one pronunciation of hurry (alternative \\); stressed and with centered period after \r\ as in one pronunciation of hurry (alternative \\)

..........mat, map ..........day, fade, date, aorta ..........bother, cot; most American speakers have the same vowel in

father, cart ..........father as pronounced by speakers who do not rhyme it with

bother; farther and cart as pronounced by r-droppers ........bad, bag, fan as often pronounced in an area having New

York City and Washington, D.C., on its perimeter; in an emphatic syllable, as before a pause, often \\

.........as in some pronunciations of bag, bang, pass ........now, loud, some pronunciations of talcum ..........baby, rib ........chin, nature \()\ (actually, this sound is \\ + \\) ..........elder, undone .........as in the usual American pronunciation of latter, ladder ..........bet, bed , ....beat, nosebleed, evenly, sleepy ..........as in one pronunciation of evenly, sleepy, envious,

igneous (alternative \\) ........(in transcriptions of foreign words only) indicates a vowel

with the quality of e in bet but long, not the sound of ee in sleep: en arrire \\

........as in one pronunciation of elk, helm ..........fifty, cuff ..........go, big ..........hat, ahead .......whale as pronounced by those who do not have the same

pronunciation for both whale and wail ..........tip, one pronunciation of banish (alternative unstressed \\),

one pronunciation of habit (alternative \\; see )

..........site, side, buy (actually, this sound is \\ + \\, or \\ + \\) ........as in one pronunciation of milk, film ..........job, gem, edge, procedure \()\ (actually, this sound is

\\ + \\)

..........kin, cook, ache ..........as in one pronunciation of loch (alternative \\), as in German

ich-laut ..........lily, pool ........murmur, dim, nymph ..........no, own ..........indicates that a preceding vowel is pronounced with the nasal

passages open, as in French un bon vin blanc \\ ..........sing \\, singer \()\, finger \()\, ink \\ ..........bone, snow, beau; one pronunciation of glory ..........saw, all, saurian; one pronunciation of horrid .........French buf, German Hlle .........French feu, German Hhle ........coin, destroy, strawy, sawing ........(in transcriptions of foreign words only) indicates a vowel

with the quality of o in bone but longer, not the sound of oo in food: comte \\

..........pepper, lip ..........rarity, one pronunciation of tar ..........source, less ........with nothing between, as in shy, mission, machine, special

(actually, this is a single sound, not two); with a stress mark between, two sounds as in deaths-head \\

..........tie, attack; one pronunciation of latter (alternative \\) ........with nothing between, as in thin, ether (actually, this is a

single sound, not two); with a stress mark between, two sounds as in knighthood \\

........then, either (actually, this is a single sound, not two) ..........rule, fool, youth, union \\, few \\ ..........pull, wood, curable \\ ........German fllen, hbsch ........French rue, German fhlen ..........vivid, give .........we, away ..........yard, cue \\, union \\ ...........(in transcriptions of foreign words only) indicates that during

articulation of the sound represented by the preceding character the tip of the tongue has substantially the position it has for the articulation of the first sound of yard, as in French digne \\

........youth, union, cue, few ........curable ..........zone, raise ........with nothing between, as in vision, azure \()\ (actually,

this is a single sound, not two); with a stress mark between, two sounds as in rosehill \\

...........mark preceding a syllable with primary (strongest) stress: \\

...........mark preceding a syllable with secondary (next-strongest) stress: \\

( ) indicate that what is symbolized between is present in some utterances but not in others: factory \() \

Guidelines Regarding Pronunciation and Language of Origin

Guidelines Regarding Pronunciation and Language of Origin

Pronunciation

For many words in Websters Third New International Dictionary, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster (Websters Third), more than one pronunciation is offered. In this school pronouncer guide, the chief pronunciation for a word is most often the first pronunciation given in this dictionary. Occasionally, however, the Bee has chosen to assign the dictionarys second or third pronunciation as the chief pronunciation. This decision has been made whenever the Bee has reason to think that a certain pronunciation has become the most prevalent one since this dictionary was first published. Many of the variations in pronunciation listed in Websters Third are included in this publication as alternate pronunciations and are listed in square brackets under the chief pronunciation. These alternate pronunciations are all the variants in the dictionarys pronunciation data that differ phonemically from the chief pronunciation. Minor phonetic variations that are described in the dictionary pages are not included here, however, such as pronunciations that differ only in the level of stress on given syllables. In addition, this publication has not included the voluminous treatment of r-dropping and vowel variations before /r/ such as those that are found in certain geographical dialects of American English. Experience has shown that this information about nuances of phonetic variation in pronunciation can be the cause for confusion for spellers and pronouncers alike. Nevertheless, every pronunciation in Websters Third that can offer any clues about spelling is listed as an alternate pronunciation herein. The phrase no alternate pronunciations means simply that, while the dictionary entry may or may not contain further details about phonetic differences in different dialects, the word in question has no other pronunciations that differ phonemically from the chief pronunciation that is provided.

Language of Origin Information in this guide regarding language of origin is a simplification of that provided in Websters Third. For example, Websters Third gives Old English, Middle English, and English, but we give only English. With New Latin and International Scientific Vocabulary, however, we tend to provide information that supplements that provided in Websters Third. Where Websters Third lists New Latin as the language of origin, we attempt to list the origin of the roots used to form the new word. We list International Scientific Vocabulary only when it is difficult to determine instead the languages from which the International Scientific Vocabulary element came. We do not always list all of the languages a word passed through before it entered modern English. Only those languages that significantly altered the word are listed, with the earliest language listed first followed by the subsequent language(s). We give the separate etymologies of each word element regularly used in Websters Third, with one exception: combining form(s). Combining forms are word elements regularly used in English or another language to make a new word, but they do not by themselves constitute words. Examples include -ly, -ing, -ment, -en, -o-, en-, non-, etc. Page 16a of Websters Third contains more detailed information about etymological entries.

Tips for Spelling Bee Officials

Tips for Spelling Bee Officials 1. Acquaint yourself with the organization of the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide (available in the log-in section of spellingbee.com). A. Words 1225:

These words were selected from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List for students in grades 18.

Words progress in difficulty by groups of 25 words.

B. Words 226375 (Additional Words):

These words were NOT selected from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List for students in grades

18. Instead, these words were selected from Websters Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster (Websters Third).

2. Acquaint yourself with the Rules for Local Spelling Bees (available in the log-in section of spellingbee.com and in the front section of the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide). 3. Pronouncers, please note:

Before the spelling bee gets under way, review the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide and familiarize yourself with the correct pronunciations of the words.

One pronunciation is listed alongside each word in the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide. If the speller requests an alternate pronunciation, consult the additional pronunciation information provided in square brackets. Please refer to the guidelines regarding pronunciation provided on page 3 of the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide.

The 2014 School Pronouncer Guide provides language of origin information. Please refer to the

guidelines regarding language of origin on page 3. Consult your dictionary if you desire additional information or clarity regarding a words language of origin.

Although some words can be more than one part of speech, only one part of speech per word is provided in the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide. The part of speech provided matches that of the definition listed and coincides with the words use in the illustrative sentence.

Several words have homonyms or near homonyms. If you think a word is a homonym and yet a

homonym is not listed, check your dictionary or skip the word. It is possible that we did not note the fact that the word is a homonym. For the final word in handling homonyms, see the portions of Rules 5, 7, and 11 that refer to homonyms.

For spelling words, the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide provides the Websters Third page and

column location of each word, designated in parentheses after the part of speech as follows: (Websters Third page number, column number).

Tips for Spelling Bee Officials

4. Judges, please note:

Ensure that you are completely familiar with the Rules for Local Spelling Bees. Pay particular attention to Rule 6 (Judges role), Rule 10 (End-of-bee procedure) and Rule 11 (Appeals).

You may customize the word list in the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide for the circumstances of your

spelling bee. You may omit words. You may place words elsewhere on the list. However, if you choose to place words elsewhere on the list, avoid placing a School Spelling Bee Study List word (any word with a number between 1 and 225) in the Additional Words (any word with a number greater than 225) and vice versa.

Preserve fairness by ensuring that all spellers spelling in the same round receive words from the same section of the 2014 School Pronouncer Guide.

Websters Third (Figure 1) is the final authority for the spelling of all words that appear on Scripps

National Spelling Bee word lists. We suggest that you have at least one copy of Websters Third on hand at your spelling bee. If you cannot locate a copy of Websters Third in time for your spelling bee, Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary, eleventh edition (Figure 2), copyright 2003, Merriam-Webster, Inc., is the preferred alternative.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Rules for Local Spelling Bees


Preface

We encourage spellers, parents, teachers, and spelling bee officials to read these rules prior to any spelling bee.

These rules are guidelines designed to assist spelling bee officials and spellers at the local level. Spellers should check with their local spelling bee officials for the rules in effect in their area. Spelling bee officials include the pronouncer, judges, coordinator and sponsor. While local spelling bee officials have the prerogative to amend Rules 2 through 11, amendmentsparticularly any amendments to the end-of-bee procedureshould be undertaken only with careful consideration of the various outcomes that may result from the amendments.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has no authority over the conduct of local spelling bees (namely, spelling bees other than the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C.). Consequently, the national office will not render judgments relating to the conduct of local spelling bees. Individuals bearing complaints about the conduct of local spelling bees should register their concerns with local spelling bee officials. DECISIONS OF LOCAL SPELLING BEE OFFICIALS ARE FINAL.

These Rules for Local Spelling Bees are not the rules in effect at the Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, DC. When a local spelling bee official says, We use the national rules, he or she is probably indicating that the Rules for Local Spelling Bees are in effect. The Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. operates under a significantly different set of rules called the Contest Rules of the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee. These rules contain provisions that are specific to unique conditions at the event near Washington, D.C. Their successful implementation at the local level is considered impossible and therefore is not recommended.

Rules

1. Eligibility: A speller qualifying for the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C. must meet these requirements:

(1) The speller must not have won a Scripps National Spelling Bee championship near Washington, D.C. (2) The speller must attend a school that is officially enrolled with the Scripps National Spelling Bee. (3) The speller must not have passed beyond the eighth grade on or before February 1, 2014. (4) The speller must not have repeated fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade for the purpose of extending spelling bee eligibility. If the speller has repeated fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade, the speller must notify the Scripps National Spelling Bee of the circumstances of grade repetition by March 31, 2014; and the Scripps National Spelling Bee will, at its sole discretion, determine the spellers eligibility status on or before April 30, 2014.

(5) The spelleror the spellers parent, legal guardian, or school official acting on the spellers behalfmust not have declared to another entity an academic classification higher than eighth grade for any purpose, including high school graduation equivalency or proficiency examinations and/or examinations such as the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. (6) The speller must not have earned the legal equivalent of a high school diploma. (7) The speller must not have completed or have been enrolled in more than six high school-level courses or two college-level courses on or before April 30, 2014. (8) The speller must not eschew normal school activity to study for spelling bees. The Scripps National Spelling Bee defines normal school activity as adherence to at least four courses of study other than language arts, spelling, Latin, Greek, vocabulary, and etymology for at least four hours per weekday for 34 of the 38 weeks between August 27, 2013, and May 18, 2014. (9) The speller must not have reached his/her 15th birthday on or before August 31, 2013.


(10) The speller must have been declared a champion of a final local spelling bee on or after February 1, 2014. (11) Once having been disqualified at any level of a sponsors spelling bee program between June 2013 and April 2014, the speller remains disqualified for the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee and may not seek advancement in the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee program through another sponsor and/or enrollment in another school. (12) The speller, upon qualifying for the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee near Washington, D.C., must submit a completed Champion Bio Form, a Certification of Eligibility Form, a signed Appearance Consent and Release Form and a photo to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The speller will notify the Beeat least 24 hours prior to the first day of competition in the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.if any of the statements made on the Certification of Eligibility Form are no longer true or require updating. The spellers sponsor will provide access to the necessary forms. (13) The speller must not have any first-, second-or third-degree relatives (i.e. sibling, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-sibling, first cousin or great grandparent) who are current employees of The E.W. Scripps Company. The Scripps National Spelling Bee may disqualify prior to or during competition any speller who is not in compliance with any of its eligibility requirements; and it mayat any time between the conclusion of the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee and April 30, 2015require any speller who is found to have not been in compliance with any of the eligibility requirements to forfeit the prizes, rank, and other benefits accorded to the speller as a result of participation in the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

2. Format: The spelling bee is conducted in rounds. Each speller remaining in the spelling bee at the start of a round spells one word or answers one vocabulary question in each round except in the case of a written, multiple choice, or online test. The spelling bee may be conducted orally or in writing or in a manner that is a combination of the two; however, if the spelling bee officials specify an oral format, the speller may not demand a written format except under the conditions of Rule 4.

3. Word list: Local spelling bee officials are responsible for selecting the word lists for use at each local spelling bee. Many local spelling bee officials use word lists generated by the Scripps National Spelling Bee. These lists include many words that appear in the current edition of Spell It! as well as some end-of-bee words. All words on Scripps National Spelling Bee word lists are entries in Websters Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster, the official dictionary of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

4. Special needs: Spelling bee officials will strive to provide accommodation for spellers who have physical challenges. All requests for spelling bee officials to accommodate special needs involving sight, hearing, speech, or movement should be directed to spelling bee officials well in advance of the spelling bee date. The judges have discretionary power to amend oral and/or written spelling requirements on a case-by-case basis for spellers with diagnosed medical conditions involving sight, hearing, speech, or movement.

5. Pronouncers role: The pronouncer strives to pronounce words according to the diacritical markings in Scripps National Spelling Bee word lists.

In Oral Spelling Rounds:

Homonyms: If a word has one or more homonyms, the pronouncer indicates which word is to be spelled by defining the word.

Spellers requests: The pronouncer responds to the spellers requests for a definition, sentence, part of speech, language(s) of origin, and alternate pronunciation(s). When presented with requests for alternate pronunciations, the pronouncer or an aide to the pronouncer checks for alternate pronunciations in either Websters Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster or Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary, eleventh edition. The pronouncer does not entertain root word questions, requests for alternate definitions, or requests for markedly slower pronunciation. Pronouncers sense of helpfulness: The pronouncer may offer word informationwithout the speller having requested the informationif the pronouncer senses that the information is helpful and the information is presented in the entry for the word in a 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee word list.


In Oral Vocabulary Rounds: Procedure: The pronouncer reads aloud the vocabulary question and both options (A) and (B), but does not indicate which is correct. Homonyms: If a word has one or more homonyms, the pronouncer indicates which word is in question by spelling the word aloud. Spellers requests: The pronouncer responds to the spellers requests for the question and/or answer options to be repeated. The pronouncer may also provide the spelling of the word in question.

6. Judges role: The judges uphold the rules and determine whether or not words are spelled correctly or vocabulary items are answered correctly. They also render final decisions on appeals in accordance with Rule 11. They are in complete control of the competition and their decision is final on all questions.

Interaction with the speller: Because seeing the spellers lip movements may be critical in detecting misunderstandings or misspellings, the judges encourage spellers to face them when pronouncing and spelling the word. Notice of rules: The judges ensure that all spellers and audience members are given an opportunity to receive a complete copy of the rules prior to the start of the spelling bee. Misunderstandings: The judges participate in the exchange of information between the speller and pronouncer if they feel that clarification is needed. Also, the judges listen carefully to the spellers pronunciation of the word; and, if they sense that the speller has misunderstood the word, the judges work with the speller and pronouncer until they are satisfied that reasonable attempts have been made to assist the speller in understanding the word. While the judges are responsible for attempting to detect a spellers misunderstanding, it is sometimes impossible to detect a misunderstanding until an error has been made. The judges are not responsible for the spellers misunderstanding. Pronouncer errors: The judges compare the pronouncers pronunciation with the diacritical markings in the word list. If the judges feel that the pronouncers pronunciation does not match the pronunciation specified in the diacritical markings, the judges direct the pronouncer to correct the error as soon as it is detected.

Disqualifications for reasons other than error: The judges will disqualify a speller (1) who refuses a request to start spelling or to provide an answer to a vocabulary question; (2) who does not approach the microphone when it is time to receive the word or question; (3) who does not comply with the eligibility requirements; (4) who engages in unsportsmanlike conduct; (5) who, in the process of retracing a spelling, alters the letters or sequence of letters from those first uttered; (6) who, in the process of spelling, utters unintelligible or nonsense sounds; or (7) who, in the process of providing an answer in an oral vocabulary round, provides a blend of correct and incorrect information (For example: If in answering the question, What is porridge made from? A. fur, or B. grain, the speller provides as an answer either: A. grain or B. fur.). Speller activities that do not merit disqualification: The judges may not disqualify a speller (1) for failing to pronounce the word either before or after spelling it, (2) for asking a question, or (3) for noting or failing to note the capitalization of a word, the presence of a diacritical mark, the presence of a hyphen or other form of punctuation, or spacing between words in an open compound.

7. Spellers role: In a spelling round, the speller makes an effort to face the judges and pronounce the word for the judges before spelling it and after spelling it. The speller while facing the judges makes an effort to utter each letter distinctly and with sufficient volume to be understood by the judges. The speller may ask the pronouncer to say the word again, define it, use it in a sentence, provide the part of speech, provide the language(s) of origin, and/or provide an alternate pronunciation or pronunciations.

Misunderstandings: The speller is responsible for any misunderstanding of the word unless (1) the pronouncer never provided a correct pronunciation; (2) the pronouncer provided incorrect information regarding the definition, part of speech, or language of origin; or (3) the speller correctly spelled a homonym of the word and the pronouncer failed to either offer a definition or distinguish the homonyms. In an oral vocabulary round, a speller may answer the question by providing (1) the letter associated with the chosen answer, (2) the chosen answer or (3) both. If the correct answer is identified by (1) associated letter alone or (2) by answer alone or (3) by both correct letter and correct answer, the speller is correct.


For example: If the speller is offered the question, What is porridge made from? A. fur, or B. grain, each of the following methods of answering is correct: B, grain, or B. grain.

8. Correction of a misspelling: The pronouncer and judges will not ask the speller to correct another spellers misspelling, even in end-of-bee circumstances.

9. Errors: Upon providing an incorrect spelling of a word or an incorrect answer to a vocabulary question, the speller immediately drops out of the competition, except as provided in Rule 10.

10. End-of-bee procedure:

If all spellers in a round misspell or answer vocabulary questions incorrectly: If none of the spellers remaining in the spelling bee at the start of a round spells a word correctly or answers a vocabulary question correctly during that round, all remain in the competition and a new spelling round begins. Ties: All spellers eliminated in the same round are tied for the same place. After the champion has been determined, spelling bee officials may opt to conduct tiebreakers (of their own design) if tiebreakers are necessary for the awarding of prizes or the determination of qualifying spellers for the next level of competition. If only one speller in a round spells correctly or answers a vocabulary question correctly: If only one speller spells correctly in a round, a new one-word spelling round begins and the speller is given an opportunity to spell a word on the list (anticipated championship word). If the speller succeeds in correctly spelling the anticipated championship word in this one-word round, the speller is declared the champion. Example: In Round 12 there are four spellers. Spellers 6 and 21 misspell. Speller 30 spells correctly. Speller 42 misspells. So, Speller 30 is the only speller in the round to spell correctly. Speller 30 begins Round 13a one-word roundand is offered the anticipated championship word. Speller 30 correctly spells the anticipated championship word and is declared champion. Example: Two spellers spell in Round 10. Speller 14 misspells. Speller 25 spells correctly. Speller 25 begins Round 11a one-word roundand is offered the anticipated championship word. Speller 25 correctly spells the anticipated championship word and is declared champion.

Example: Two spellers spell in Round 16. Speller 3 spells correctly. Speller 9 misspells. Speller 3 begins Round 17a one-word roundand is offered the anticipated championship word. Speller 3 correctly spells the anticipated championship word and is declared champion. VERY IMPORTANT: If a speller misspells the anticipated championship word in a one-word round: A new spelling round begins with ALL the spellers who participated in the previous round. These spellers spell in their original order. Example: In Round 8 there are three spellers. Speller 12 spells correctly and Spellers 23 and 37 misspell. Round 9a one-word roundbegins, and Speller 12 is offered the anticipated championship word. Speller 12 misspells the anticipated championship word. Round 10 begins and includes Spellers 12, 23, and 37. The rules prescribe that spellers 12, 23, and 37 spell in their original order; so Speller 12 gets the next word on the list even though Speller 12 misspelled the previous word on the list. Round 10 is not complete until all three spellers have spelled. Tip: Spelling bee officials may find it helpful to designate a record keeper or judge to track the progress of spellers throughout the rounds. The record keepers information will be helpful in preventing end-of-bee confusion.

11. Appeals: The spellers parent(s), legal guardian, or teacher may appeal to the judges for the spellers reinstatement provided that the appeal is in compliance with the appeal protocol. The judges render a final decision on the appeal in accordance with the reinstatement protocol.

Appeal protocol

A written appeal must be hand delivered to the designated official (usually the spelling bee coordinator/director). The deadline for delivering an appeal is before the speller affected would have received his/her next word had he/she stayed in the spelling bee; however, to minimize disruptions to the spelling bee, every effort should be made to deliver an appeal by the end of the round in which the speller was eliminated. When five or fewer spellers remain, the written appeal requirement is suspended, and an oral appeal must be made before the speller would have received his/her next word had he/she stayed in the spelling bee. A written appeal must provide the spellers name, the word in question, and the reason the speller should be reinstated.


While the competition is in session, individuals who have filed appeals may not directly approach the judges unless explicit permission to approach the judges has been given. The judges will contact the speller if they decide to reinstate the speller. To minimize disruption to the pace of the spelling bee and the concentration of the spellers, the judges are under no obligation to stop the spelling bee in order to discuss with the spellers parent(s), legal guardian, or teacher a denied appeal. The judges decisions are final and are subject neither to review nor to reversal by the Scripps National Spelling Bees headquarters office.

Reinstatement protocol Pronouncer mispronunciation: An appeal claiming that a spellers elimination from the spelling bee was due to pronunciation error should be denied unless there is agreement that the pronouncer never offered a correct pronunciation. Alternate pronunciations: An appeal claiming that the pronouncer did not offer alternate pronunciations should be denied unless it is determined that the speller requested alternate pronunciations and the pronouncer did not accommodate the spellers request for alternate pronunciations and it appears that the spellers spelling almost matches the correct spelling. Spellers misunderstanding: An appeal claiming that the spellers elimination from the spelling bee was due to the spellers not understanding the word [its pronunciation(s) and/or other information about the word] should be denied. It is the spellers responsibility to understand the word. Speller offered correct spelling for a word in this guide: An appeal claiming that the speller correctly spelled the word should be denied unless an audio recording of the bees proceedings or bee officials recollections clearly indicate that the word was indeed spelled correctly. Exception: If the spellers spelling is listed in Websters Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, Merriam-Webster, copyright 2002, the speller should be reinstated if all of the following three criteria are met:

(1) The pronunciations of the words are identical, (2) the definitions of the words are identical, and (3) the words are clearly identified as being standard variants of each other. Spellings at other locations having temporal labels (such as archaic, obsolete), stylistic labels (such as substand, nonstand), or regional labels (such as North, Midland, Irish) which differ from main entry spellings not having these status labels will not be accepted as correct. Speller offered correct spelling, as indicated in a dictionary other than Websters Third: An appeal claiming that the speller spelled the word correctly according to a dictionary other than Websters Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster, should be denied. Homonym in a spelling round: An appeal claiming that the spellers elimination was unfair because the spellers word is a homonym should be denied unless the pronouncer failed to define the word and the speller correctly spelled a homonym of the word. Homonym in an oral vocabulary round: An appeal claiming that the spellers elimination was unfair because the spellers word is a homonym should be denied unless the pronouncer failed to spell the word and the speller identified an answer matching the definition of a homonym of the word. Incorrect or unsolicited information: An appeal claiming that the spellers elimination was unfair because the pronouncer offered incorrect or unsolicited information about the word should be denied unless it is determined that the pronouncer indeed gave factually incorrect information and it appears that the spellers spelling would have been correct if not for the incorrect or unsolicited information provided by the pronouncer.

Bee officials failed to correct a misunderstanding: An appeal claiming that the speller misspelled or incorrectly answered because the judges and/or pronouncer failed to correct the spellers mispronunciation of the word should be denied. It is sometimes impossible to detect a spellers mispronunciation or misunderstanding, and ultimately it is the responsibility of the speller to understand and correctly pronounce the word.

Disqualification request: An appeal seeking to dislodge another speller from the spelling bee should be denied.

Words 1225 are School Spelling Bee Study List Words

1. rug \ \

This word is of Scandinavian origin.

noun (Websters Third page 1986, column 1)

a piece of thick heavy fabric that is used as a floor covering and is not intended to cover an entire floor.

Helga bought a new rug to place beneath the dining room table.

2. Say to the speller This word has a homonym. Next, say the word. Next, provide the words part of speech and definition. Next, answer spellers questions, if any, about the word.

jam \ \

This word is probably imitative in origin.


[Has homonym: jamb.]

a product made by boiling fruit and sugar to a thick consistency without preserving the shape of the fruit.

Aubrey's favorite treat was raspberry jam on toast.


add \ \

This word came from Latin into English.

verb (Websters Third page 24, column 1)

[Has homonym: ad.]

to combine two or more numbers into one sum.

Ms. McMain had her students add six numbers together and then divide the sum by four.

4. shy \ \

This word is originally English.

adjective (Websters Third page 2109, column 3)

easily frightened : skittish, timid.

Not wanting to frighten the shy kitten, Georges moved slowly toward her.

Before starting your bee, inform the spellers of your end-of-bee procedure. If you are using the Rules for Local Spelling Bees, refer to Rule 10. Failure to inform the spellers of how

you will end your bee may result in complications at the end of the bee.

If a word has a homonym or near homonym, the words homonym status is probably noted at the words entry in this guide. We encourage you to include these words in your bee,

provided you indicate the words homonym or near homonym status to the speller.

If you think a word is a homonym and yet a homonym is not listed, please check Websters Third New International Dictionary for further information or skip the word. It is possible that we did not note the fact that the word is a homonym. For the final word in handling

homonyms, see the portions of Rules 5, 7, and 11 that refer to homonyms.

5. eel \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is originally from English.


any of numerous snakelike fishes that have a smooth slimy skin often without scales.

Most eel species live in shallow ocean waters.

6. tape \ \



a narrow strip of natural or artificial fibers coated on one side with an adhesive mixture and used for many purposes.

Adhesive tape is commonly used in wound care.

7. hope \ \



to desire with expectation or with belief.

Alexia dared to hope that her parents would let her go to summer camp this year.

8. Say to the speller This word could be confused with a similar word. Next, say the word. Next, provide the words part of speech and definition. Next, answer spellers questions, if any, about the word.

cork \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word probably went from Latin through Arabic before becoming English.


[Could be confused with quark.]

the outer tissues of the stem of the cork oak that is used commercially for cork stoppers and insulation.

Missy's parents popped the cork in the sparkling apple cider to celebrate her excellent report card.


mask \ \

This word went from Latin to Italian to French before becoming English.


[Has homonym: masque.]

a cover or partial cover for the face usually made of cloth with openings for the eyes.

Danny wore a skeleton mask for Halloween.

10. July \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from a Latin name that came into English.


the seventh month of the year.

Mikaela's family sets off fireworks every Fourth of July.

11. acorn \ \

[ \ \ ]



the nut of the oak tree usually seated in or surrounded by a hard woody cup-shaped structure.

Trina found it hard to believe that something as small as an acorn could grow into something as large as an oak tree.

12. silly \ \



lacking importance or serious meaning : trivial, trifling, frivolous.

Ella thought recess was a silly waste of time.

13. lace \ \

This word went from Latin to French before becoming English.


a fine fabric with a ground of net on which patterns may be worked and which is made of thread by looping, twisting, or knotting.

Gina's wedding gown was made of antique lace.

14. globe \ \

This word went from Latin to French.


a round ball that has a map of the earth drawn on it and that is usually set so as to be rotatable at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the earth's axis.

Ericson found Mozambique on his classroom globe.

15. never \ \

This word is from English.

adverb (Websters Third page 1522, column 2)

not ever : at no time.

Miles was sad to realize that he would never see a living dodo bird.

16. count \ \



to separate one by one to find the total number of units : number or tally.

There are too many stars in the sky to count them all.

17. always \ \

[ \ \ ]



on every occasion : at all times.

Noah always eats cereal for breakfast.


moose \ \

This word is from Algonquian.


[Has homonym: mousse.]

a large mammal that inhabits forested parts of Canada and the northern United States, stands about seven feet high at the shoulders and has long legs, a short tail, a large head and antlers with many points.

The campers hoped they might spy a moose while in the Alaskan wilderness.

19. thank \ \

[ \ \ ]



to express gratitude to.

Felicia wrote notes to thank everyone for her birthday presents.

20. grass \ \



green herbage that affords food for grazing animals and that usually consists predominantly of narrow-leaved plants often intermixed with herbs.

Tianna uses a tractor to cut the grass in the summer.

21. tower \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word went from Greek to Latin to French before becoming English.


a building or structure designed primarily for elevation that is higher than its diameter and high relative to its surroundings.

The prince climbed to the highest room in the tallest tower to rescue the princess.

22. pillow \ \

[ \ \ ]



a sack made typically of cloth and filled with a soft material used to support the head of a person resting or sleeping.

Muriel hugs her pillow while she sleeps.

23. myself \ \

[ \ \ ]


pron (Websters Third page 1496, column 3)

that identical one that is I.

To study spelling, I repeat words out loud to myself.

24. number \ \



an arithmetical total : sum of the units involved.

There was a large number of students in the hall between classes.

25. snowflake \ \

This word consists of an English part plus a part that came from Norse to English.


a small mass of ice crystals.

Megan tried to catch a falling snowflake on her tongue.


wee \ \



[Has homonyms: we, whee.]

very small.

Not quite full from dinner, Mildred asked for a wee bit more soup.

27. link \ \

This word was formed in English from a word of Scandinavian origin.


to connect by or as if by a connecting element.

The bridge served to link the island with the mainland.


icon \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word went from Greek to Latin.

noun (Websters Third page 1121, column 2 and page 97a, column 2)

[Other meanings have variant spellings ikon, eikon.]

a graphic symbol on a computer display screen that usually suggests the type of object represented or the purpose of an available function.

Ren double-clicked on the card icon on his desktop to open his game of solitaire.


brew \ \



[Has homonym: broo.]

to prepare (as a drink or other liquid) by infusion especially in hot water.

Mary Grace decided to brew some tea to help soothe her sore throat.

30. crane \ \



any of a small group of tall wading birds resembling the herons but more closely related to the rails.

The Gladstones saw a large red-legged crane with black and white wings.

31. given \ \

This word is originally Scandinavian in origin.


conferred the ownership of without receiving a return : made a present of.

Ariel was happy that her old toys were given to charity.

32. pulp \ \

This word went from Latin to French.


the soft succulent part of fruit.

Farrah preferred her orange juice with extra pulp.

33. Say to the speller This word has a near-homonym. Next, say the word. Next, provide the words part of speech and definition. Next, answer spellers questions, if any, about the word.

alarm \ \

Originally from Latin, this word went from Italian to French before becoming English.


[Has near homonym: similarly pronounced variant alarum.]

a device that warns or signals by means of a noise (as a bell or siren) or visual effect (as a flashing light).

The burglar fled when he set off the alarm.


tenth \ \



[Has near-homonym: tense.]

being one more than nine in number in a countable series.

On the first day of summer camp, Jen was excited; by the tenth she was ready to go home.

35. olive \ \

This word is from a word of probably non-Indo-European origin that went to Greek, then to Latin, then French before it became English.


the fruit of the tree of the same name that is eaten either when unripe and green or when bluish black and ripe and that yields a valuable oil.

Abi garnished her tomato juice with a green olive.

36. hobby \ \

This word is perhaps from an English nickname.


any favorite pursuit or interest.

Darla took up coin collecting as a hobby.

37. drink \ \



any particular natural or prepared usually agreeable liquid for swallowing : beverage, potable, brew.

Azra's favorite carbonated drink is ginger ale.

38. shark \ \

This word is of unknown origin.


any of numerous fishes that are usually of medium or large size including the largest existing fishes, that may be active, voracious, and rapacious predators or sluggish bottom dwellers feeding chiefly on mollusks.

Vivian was terrified of shark attacks for weeks after watching the movie Jaws.

39. flavor \ \

This word probably went from Latin to French before becoming English.


the blend of taste and smell sensations evoked by a substance (as a portion of food or drink) in the mouth.

Lemons have a sour flavor.

40. shout \ \



to speak in a loud voice.

Jordan had to shout to be heard over the crowd.

41. broken \ \



violently separated into parts : in fragments : shattered.

Omar swept up the pieces of the broken saltshaker.

42. joyful \ \

The first part of this word is from an originally Latin word that went through French to English, and the second part is an English combining form.


experiencing pleasure or delight : happy.

Joyful people are said to live longer.

43. limited \ \

[ \ \ ]



restricted in extent, number or duration.

A limited number of seats are available for the play-off game.

44. soggy \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from a word of unknown origin plus an English combining form.


saturated or heavy with water or moisture : waterlogged, soaked.

Joey ate his cereal quickly before it became soggy.

45. father \ \



a male parent.

Lars wants to be just like his father when he grows up.

46. bedtime \ \

This word consists of two originally English parts.


the period set apart to settle for sleeping.

Katja's grandma always lets her stay up past her normal bedtime.

47. partner \ \

This word is an English alteration of an Anglo-French word.


one that is associated in any action with another : associate, colleague.

As part the assignment, each student had a partner to work with.

48. second \ \

[ \ \ ]



next to the first in place or time.

Habib volunteered to give his speech to the class second, after Anthony.

49. yellow \ \

[ \ \ ]



a color whose hue resembles that of ripe lemons or sunflowers or is that of the portion of the spectrum lying between green and orange.

In her picture, Glinda colored the sun a bright yellow.

50. respect \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word came to English from Latin.


high or special regard : esteem.

Thomas has great respect for his grandpa's opinions.

51. don't \ \

This word is a contraction of two originally English words.


a command or entreaty not to do something : prohibition.

For those who suffer from diabetes, sugary food is a definite don't.

52. urban \ \

This word is from Latin.


of, relating to, characteristic of, or taking place in a city.

Zelda dreamed of moving away from her parents' farm and embracing the urban life in New York City.

The speller should not be disqualified based upon noting or failing to note punctuation or spacing within the following word. The speller should be judged based upon uttering the

correct sequence of letters in the correct order.

53. award \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word came from French to English.


something that is conferred or bestowed upon a person : grant.

Mr. Parker was thrilled to have won such a major award.

54. deaf \ \



lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing either wholly or in part.

Tina, who is fluent in American Sign Language, is an interpreter for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

55. ivory \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from an originally Hamitic word that went through Latin and French before becoming English.


of a creamy white color.

The ivory sweater that Karen purchased qualifies as "winter white."

56. selfish \ \



seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others.

Mitch's mother told him not sharing his toys with his little brother was selfish behavior.

57. pouch \ \

This word is from an originally Germanic word that went through French before becoming English.


a sack or satchel of moderate size for storing or transporting goods.

Igor laid his coin pouch on the table as he entered the room.

58. well-off \ \

[ \ \ ]



having more than adequate material and especially financial resources : prosperous.

Hayden would not describe himself as well-off, but he always seemed to make enough money to survive.



59. honor \ \



outward respect or admiration : recognition, deference.

Demitri attended a dinner in honor of the retiring principal.

60. barge \ \



a roomy usually flat-bottomed boat used principally in harbors or inland waterways for the transport of goods and sometimes passengers and usually propelled by towing.

Loaded with coal, the barge moved slowly down river.

61. saying \ \

[ \ \ ]



a commonly repeated statement : adage, proverb.

Hilda often wondered about the origin of the saying "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."

62. actress \ \

This word consists of part that came from Latin to English plus an English combining form.


a female theatrical performer.

Keira wants to become an actress and has played small parts in several plays.

63. really \ \

[ \ \ ]



in actual fact : actually.

Aya was angry and didn't really mean what she said.

64. energy \ \



the capacity of acting, operating, or producing an effect : inherent power.

Sue claimed that you lose energy as you get older.


royal \ \

[ \ \ ]



[Has near homonym: roil.]

of, relating to, owned by, or subject to the jurisdiction of the crown.

The prince and his bride honeymooned on the royal yacht.

66. market \ \



a public place where people meet together at a stated time and place for the purpose of traffic (as in cattle, provisions, or wares) by private purchase and sale.

Santana loved going to the flea market with her grandpa.

67. pastel \ \

This word is from a Latin word that went through Italian to French.


pale and light in color : lacking in brilliance or intensity.

Mrs. Cooper selected bold rather than pastel colors for her new baby's bedroom decor.

68. scarecrow \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of a part that came from Old Norse to English plus an originally English part.


an object typically suggesting a human figure set up to frighten birds away from crops.

Talia jumped at the sight of a rumpled old scarecrow on the floor of the deserted barn.

69. bucket \ \

This word is originally English and went through Anglo-French.


a typically round and wooden vessel for drawing up water from a well.

Georgie let Liza know that there was a hole in the water bucket.


lesson \ \



[Has homonym: lessen.]

a period of formal instruction devoted to a single subject.

Dora hurried so as not to be late for her piano lesson.


chalk \ \



[Has near homonym: chock.]

the prepared form (as for filler or for marking or drawing purposes) of a soft friable limestone of marine origin earthy in texture and white, gray, or buff in color.

Bart picked up the chalk and solved the math problem Mrs. Applewhite had written on the board.

72. birthday \ \

This word consists of a part that went from Old Norse to English plus an originally English part.


an anniversary of being born.

Gloria's dad always baked her favorite cake on her birthday.

73. inched \ \

This word is from a word that went from Latin to English.


moved slowly or in little increments.

Melinda inched quietly toward the door so as not wake her sleeping baby brother.

74. comma \ \



a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation within the sentence generally indicating a slight pause.

An introductory subordinate clause should be set off with a comma.


75. princely \ \

Originally Latin, this word went through French before becoming English.


resembling or having the characteristics of a male member of a royal family : stately, noble.

Mr. Townsend's generous donation to the hospital was cheered as a princely gesture.

76. bebop \ \

This word is imitative.


jazz characterized by rhythmic harmonic complexity and innovation, and usually fast tempos and loud bravura execution.

With the focus on improvisation, bebop allowed for an explosion of innovation.

77. frump \ \

This word is perhaps from a word that went from Dutch to English.


a drab, old-fashioned person.

Mr. Collins was a frump who was always talking about "the good old days."

78. publish \ \

This word is an English modification of a word that went from Latin to French.


to release a product of creative work for public distribution or sale usually with the consent of the copyright holder.

Eustace decided that if no one would publish her first novel, she would do it herself.

79. mortal \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word came from Latin through French into English.


destructive to life : causing or capable of causing death.

The diver's cage would protect him from receiving a mortal wound from a shark.

At the end of your round, would you like to include a round of oral vocabulary questions in your competition? Turn to page 77 to begin a basic vocabulary round, page 81 to begin an intermediate vocabulary round, or page 84 to begin an advanced vocabulary round. Prior

to beginning a vocabulary round, note the spelling word last offered so that you may return to the next spelling word on the list when you conclude the vocabulary round.

80. aren't \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is a contraction of two originally English words.


to not have a meaning that includes or implies the meaning of.

Peanuts aren't actually nuts.

81. software \ \

[ \ \ ]


noun (Websters Third page 130a, column 3)

the entire set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a system and especially a computer system; specifically : computer programs.

To protect her computer, Julia installed the latest anti-virus software.

82. confess \ \

This word is from a Latin word that became French and then English.


to tell of or make known something private or hidden : admit, acknowledge.

Sanjay reluctantly had to confess to his parents that he received a low grade on his math test.

83. empower \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of an English combining form plus a part that went from Latin to French before becoming English.


give abilities to : enable.

Mr. Hartman believes that a good education will empower his students to become successful adults.

84. infant \ \



a child in the first year of life : baby.

Mac felt awkward with his baby brother until his mom showed him how to properly hold an infant.



85. possible \ \



falling within the bounds of what may be done, occur, be conceived, or be attained within the framework of nature, custom or manners.

Jacoby didn't think it was possible for someone to be so lucky as to win the lottery twice.

86. shortfall \ \

[ \ \ ]



deficit, shortage.

The city government faced a budget shortfall of around 3 million dollars.

87. payment \ \



something given to discharge a debt or obligation or to fulfill a promise.

Marjorie bought pizza for all her friends as payment for helping her move into her new apartment.

88. motion \ \

This word came from Latin through French to English.


an act or instance of moving the body or any of its members : gesture.

The dancer's every motion was graceful and precise.

89. arrow \ \

[ \ \ ]



a weapon shot from a bow that consists of a straight slender shaft with a point or sharp head and feathers or vanes fastened near the end.

After weeks of practice, Dodie finally managed to get her arrow to hit the bull's-eye.


insight \ \



[Has homonym: incite.]

clear and immediate understanding.

According to popular legend, Isaac Newton was granted sudden insight into the laws of gravity when an apple fell on his head.

91. million \ \

Originally Latin, this word passed through Italian and French before becoming English.


a very large or indefinitely great number.

Danae felt like she had a million things to do before the semester ended.

92. thawed \ \



became free of stiffness, hardness, numbness, ice or other effect of cold as a result of being warmed.

Marcus waited until the meat thawed before grilling it.

93. piracy \ \

This word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin.


robbery on the high seas.

Charged with piracy, Blackbeard was hunted down by government warships.

94. cowlick \ \

This word is made up of two originally English parts.


a lock or tuft of hair growing in a different direction from the rest of the hair and usually turned up or awry.

Without a lot of hair gel and coaxing, Queenie's cowlick caused her bangs to stick straight up.

95. theater or

theatre \ \

[ \ \ ]

Originally Greek, this word went from Latin through French before becoming English.


a building for dramatic performances usually including a stage and with dressing rooms for actors and an auditorium : playhouse.

The theater was so large that Erwin had a hard time finding his seat before the play began.

96. alpha \ \

Originally a Hebrew-related Phoenician word, this word went through Greek and Latin before becoming English.


socially dominant especially in a group of animals.

In social animals, the alpha animal is the individual in the community with the highest rank.

The following word has two correct spellings. Either one of the two spellings listed below should be accepted as correct; the speller only needs to provide one correct spelling.

97. scorpion \ \

Originally Greek, this word went from Latin to French before becoming English.


any of numerous arachnids of warm and tropical regions with an elongated body with a segmented tail with a venomous sting at the tip.

The scorpion has been on Earth a long time and is among the first animals to have adapted to land.

98. lumberjack \ \

The first part of this word is perhaps an alteration of an originally Latin word that went through Italian and French to English, and the second part is originally English.


one who is engaged in the action or business of logging.

Paul Bunyan is a legendary, giant lumberjack, who is said to have been able to cut down 25 trees with a single swing.

99. ledge \ \



a narrow shelf forming the top or projecting from the side of a wall or other vertical structure.

Parker's mother grows parsley and rosemary on a sunny ledge in the kitchen.

100. Tuesday \ \

[ \ \ ]



the day following Monday.

Celia took art lessons every Tuesday after school.

101. podium \ \



a raised platform or pedestal : dais.

Shawn's biggest dream was to stand on the Olympic podium and receive her gold medal.

102. legacy \ \



something coming from the past (as from an age, event, or policy).

Tim worked hard to maintain his family's legacy of charity.

103. Say to the speller This word could be confused with a similar word. Next, say the word. Next, provide the words part of speech and definition. Next, answer spellers questions, if any, about the word.

joust \ \



[Has differently pronounced variant: just.]

to fight on horseback as a knight or man-at-arms.

The eager young knights would joust until both they and their horses were exhausted.


domain \ \

[ \ \ ]


noun (Websters Third page 670, column 3, 81a, column 3)

[Has near homonym: demesne.]

a large subdivision of the Internet consisting of computers or sites with a common purpose or a common geographic location and denoted in Internet addresses by an abbreviation.

"Dot com" is an extremely common domain on the Internet.

105. premium \ \



commanding a higher than usual price especially because of superior quality.

Jose didn't mind paying a little more on his cable bill for the commercial-free premium channels.

106. basically \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin and then French before becoming English, plus an English combining form.


fundamentally, essentially.

Alistair preferred to believe that all people are basically the same on the inside.

107. awash \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of two originally English elements.


marked by an abundance : full, overflowing.

The amusement park was awash with children on the beautiful summer day.


entrance \ \

This word went from French to English.


[Has homonym: entrants.]

the means or place for physical entering (as a door, gate, or passage).

The entrance to the secret garden was so covered in ivy it was almost impossible to find.

109. logical \ \



that is in accordance with inferences reasonably drawn from preceding or surrounding or predictable facts or events or circumstances.

Kendall looked from the broken vase on the floor to the angry face of her father and reached the logical conclusion that she was grounded.

110. moviegoer \ \

This word is from a part that went from Latin to French to English plus an originally English part.


one that goes to see motion pictures especially frequently.

An avid moviegoer, Roger wanted to be a film critic when he grew up.

111. gorgon \ \

This word went from Greek to Latin before becoming English.


one resembling one of three sisters in Greek mythology having snake-entwined hair and glaring eyes capable of turning the beholder to stone.

Fred was convinced that the school librarian, Mrs. Pince, was a terrifying gorgon who, like Medusa, turned children who talked in the library to stone.

112. stubble \ \



a short growth of beard.

The unusual appearance of stubble on Bob's face must mean he's trying to grow a beard.

113. introverted \ \



marked by a habitual tendency toward being predominantly concerned with one's own thoughts and feelings.

Rebecca's introverted personality made it hard for her to meet people.

114. enviable \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of a part that went from Latin to French to English plus an English combining form.


highly desirable.

Babette's ability to spell on stage under pressure was enviable.

115. merge \ \



to cause to combine or unite.

The owners have plans to merge their smaller companies into one large one.

116. Halloween or

Hallowe'en \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is short for an English phrase.


the evening of October 31 which is often devoted by young people to merrymaking and playing pranks sometimes involving petty damage to property.

Unable to decide between dressing up as Batman or Superman for Halloween, Lucas eventually decided to wear both costumes and call himself "Super Bat."

117. science \ \

Originally Latin, this word passed through French before becoming English.


a branch or department of systematized knowledge that is or can be made a specific object of study.

Petra's favorite branch of science is chemistry.

The following word has two correct spellings. Either one of the two spellings listed below should be accepted as correct; the speller only needs to provide one correct spelling.


taught \ \



[Has homonym and near homonyms: taut, taunt, tot.]

caused to know how to do something : showed how.

Bryce's cousin taught him how to juggle.

119. quaver \ \



to utter sound in tremulous uncertain tones.

Zara tried not to let her voice quaver as she gave a presentation to the whole class.

120. wren \ \



any of numerous small more or less brown singing birds.

A wren came to the bird feeder outside the living room window.

121. lawyer \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is made up of two originally English parts.


one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise as to the prosecution or defense of lawsuits or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters.

Trish's parents thought that her hiring a lawyer to negotiate bedtimes with them was a little much.

122. bassoon \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from a Latin word that became Italian and then French.


a tenor or bass double-reed woodwind instrument having a long doubled conical wooden body connected to the mouthpiece by a thin metal tube.

Kirk plays bassoon in the college symphony.

123. trifle \ \

This word went from French to English.


an insignificant or relatively small amount (as of money).

Though the bracelet from her grandmother was worth only a trifle, Morgan treasured it always.

124. permission \ \

This word went from Latin to French to English.


formal consent : authorization.

Before he could go on the field trip, Cy had to get permission from his parents.

125. carriage \ \

[ \ \ ]



a horse-drawn vehicle designed for private use and for comfort or elegance.

Cinderella's carriage was a pumpkin that her fairy godmother had transformed to take her to the ball.

126. bolide \ \

This word is from Greek.


an exploding or exploded meteor or meteorite.

What May thought was a UFO turned out to actually be a bolide.

127. cohesive \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of an originally Latin part plus an English combining form.


fitting together naturally and consistently with suitable order, proportion, and similarity of tone.

Raj's rumpled appearance was not cohesive with his wealth.

128. turmoil \ \

This word is of unknown origin.


an utterly confused, extremely agitated, or tumultuous state or condition.

The locker room was in turmoil when the star forward was injured.

129. genetic \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin.


of, relating to, produced by, or being one of the elements of the germ plasm serving as specific transmitters of hereditary characteristics.

After both her husband and daughter slid on the ice, Linda wondered if klutziness was genetic.

130. forbidden \ \

[ \ \ ]



not allowed : not permitted : prohibited.

After almost driving the lawnmower into the pond, Laurie was forbidden to mow ever again.

131. mugwump \ \

This word is from Natick.


the head or leader of any body of persons.

In the Harry Potter books, the head of the International Confederation of Wizards is deemed the Supreme Mugwump.

132. vouch \ \



to give tangible support to : prove, substantiate.

Rosemary calmly told the detective that she had several people willing to vouch for her whereabouts on the night of the crime.

133. avenge \ \

This word was probably formed in English from an originally French word.


to take vengeance for or on behalf of (oneself or another).

Tom promised to avenge his sister's loss in the snowball fight.

134. morale \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word came from French, which formed it from Latin.


a sense of common purpose or a degree of dedication to a common task regarded as characteristic of or dominant in a particular group or organization.

Student morale improved after the school was renovated.

135. disarray \ \

This word is from a French word that then became English.


a lack of order or sequence.

Rory's frantic search for his ringing cell phone left his room in disarray.

136. talisman \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word originally came from Greek through Arabic, and came to English from Italian, Spanish or French.


an object thought to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune.

Vern showed us his rabbit's foot, which he claimed was an effective talisman.


dissemble \ \

This word came from French, which formed it from a Latin word.


[Has near homonym: disassemble.]

to conceal facts, motives, intentions, or feelings under some pretense.

Ash tried to dissemble her anger by pasting on a bright smile.

138. ailment \ \

This word consists of an originally English part plus an English combining form.


a bodily sickness, disorder, or chronic disease.

After waking up with a sore throat, Talia had some tea to soothe her ailment.

139. infamous \ \



having a reputation of the worst kind : notorious as being of vicious, contemptible, or criminal character.

Al Capone was an infamous Chicago gangster.

140. duplicity \ \

[ \ \ ]



deception by pretending to entertain one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another.

A spy must be capable of constant duplicity.

141. infringe \ \



to neglect to fulfill or obey : violate.

A person's rights end when they begin to infringe on the rights of others.

142. manufacture \ \

[ \ \ ]



to produce according to an organized plan and with division of labor.

The new plant was to manufacture 7,000 cars a day.

143. freight \ \

This word was formed in English from either a Dutch word or a German word.


something that is loaded for transportation : cargo.

The semi truck was delivering its freight to a vendor in Arkansas.

144. piety \ \

[ \ \ ]



zeal in religious service or worship : devoutness.

Deacon Jones, noted for his piety and devotion to the church, has greeted visitors every Sunday for nearly 30 years.

145. vivacious \ \

[ \ \ ]



lively in temper or conduct : sprightly.

Randi's vivacious personality made her perfect for her school's pep squad.

146. expunge \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word consists of two originally Latin elements.


to obliterate (a material record or trace) by any means.

The criminal was careful to expunge his fingerprints from the crime scene.

147. bulwark \ \

[ \ \ ]

Originally German, this word went through Dutch before becoming English.


something that offers strong support or protection in danger : a powerful means of defense.

In the video game, Cameron's character was part of the last bulwark against alien invasion.

148. shiatsu \ \

This word is from Japanese.

noun (Websters Third page 128a, column 3)

a massage with the fingers especially of a form that originated in Japan applied to those specific areas of the body used in acupuncture.

Ramona's acupuncturist recommended regular sessions of shiatsu to keep her neck muscles relaxed.

149. lanai \ \

[ \ \ ]

This word is from Hawaiian.

noun (Websters Third pag

scripps spelling list.pdf

Documents

pronunciation of cap

pronunciation of elk

pronunciation of mil

usual american pronunciation

pronunciation of french

bird alternative

igneous alternative

additional words