contents€¦ · • begin grade 1 classroom spelling bees with word 1 (page 10), • begin grade 2...

2014

CLASSROOM PRONOUNCER GUIDE

Spelling and Vocabulary Edition

CONTENTS Merriam-Webster Pronunciation Symbols ................................................................................ 2 Guidelines Regarding Pronunciation .......................................................................................... 3 Tips for Conducting Your Classroom Spelling Bee .................................................................... 4 Rules for Local Spelling Bees ....................................................................................................... 5 Words 1–225: 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List Words ....................................................... 10 Words 226-250: Words Selected from Webster’s Third* .......................................................... 41 Numerical Index of Spelling Words ……………………………………………………………………………..42 Optional Oral Vocabulary Rounds ............................................................................................ 43 Optional Written Vocabulary Tests and Answer Keys .............................................................. 51 *Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster

©2013, Scripps National Spelling Bee

All rights reserved.

2014 Classroom Pronouncer Guide

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 arrière \\

......... 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 death’s-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

Pronunciation

For many words in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster (Webster’s Third), more than one pronunciation is offered. In this classroom pronouncer guide, the chief pronunciation for a word is most often the first pronunciation given in this dictionary. Occasionally, however, the word panel has chosen to assign the dictionary’s second or third pronunciation as the chief pronunciation. This decision has been made whenever the panel 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 Webster’s 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 dictionary’s 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 Webster’s 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.


Tips for Conducting Your Classroom Spelling Bee Help your students prepare by:

• giving your students the grade-specific 100-word study list from the log-in section of spellingbee.com, and • providing the full 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List to your students if they seek a challenge.

Familiarize yourself with the 2014 Classroom Pronouncer Guide, in which:

• words 1-225 were selected from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List,

• words 226-250 were selected from Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster,

• the 25 questions in the Basic Oral Vocabulary Round were selected from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List for grade 5,

• the 25 questions in the Intermediate Oral Vocabulary Round were selected from the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List for grade 8, and

• the 10 questions on each grade-specific Written Vocabulary Test were selected from the respective grade level in the 2014 School Spelling Bee Study List.

Decide at what point in the Classroom Pronouncer Guide to begin your bee. We recommend that you:

• begin Grade 1 classroom spelling bees with word 1 (page 10), • begin Grade 2 classroom spelling bees with word 26 (page 14), • begin Grade 3 classroom spelling bees with word 51 (page 17), • begin Grade 4 classroom spelling bees with word 76 (page 21), • begin Grade 5 classroom spelling bees with word 101 (page 24), • begin Grade 6 classroom spelling bees with word 126 (page 26), • begin Grade 7 classroom spelling bees with word 151 (page 30), and • begin Grade 8 classroom spelling bees with word 176 (page 33).

As pronouncer, be sure to:

• review the 2014 Classroom Pronouncer Guide prior to your bee, and

• refer to the Merriam-Webster Pronunciation Symbols on page 2 of the 2014 Classroom Pronouncer Guide if you need assistance interpreting diacritical markings.

As judge, keep in mind that:

• You may consult our Rules for Local Spelling Bees (on page 5 of the 2014 Classroom Pronouncer Guide) if you need rules (pay special attention to Rule 10 for instruction regarding end-of-bee procedure) and

• You may wish to have a copy of Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster, available for reference. If you do not have a copy of Webster’s Third, the preferred alternative is Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, eleventh edition, copyright 2003, Merriam-Webster.


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, amendments—particularly any amendments to the end-of-bee procedure—should 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 speller’s eligibility status on or before April 30, 2014.

(5) The speller—or the speller’s parent, legal guardian, or school official acting on the speller’s behalf—must 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 sponsor’s 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 Bee—at 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 speller’s 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 may—at any time between the conclusion of the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee and April 30, 2015—require 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 Webster’s 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. Pronouncer’s 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.

Speller’s requests: The pronouncer responds to the speller’s 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 Webster’s Third New International Dictionary and its addenda section, copyright 2002, Merriam-Webster or Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, eleventh edition. The pronouncer does not entertain root word questions, requests for alternate definitions, or requests for markedly slower pronunciation. Pronouncer’s sense of helpfulness: The pronouncer may offer word information—without the speller having requested the information—if 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. Speller’s requests: The pronouncer responds to the speller’s 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 speller’s 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 speller’s 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 speller’s misunderstanding, it is sometimes impossible to detect a misunderstanding until an error has been made. The judges are not responsible for the speller’s misunderstanding. Pronouncer errors: The judges compare the pronouncer’s pronunciation with the diacritical markings in the word list. If the judges feel that the pronouncer’s 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. Speller’s 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 speller’s 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 13—a one-word round—and 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 11—a one-word round—and 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 17—a one-word round—and 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 9—a one-word round—begins, 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 keeper’s information will be helpful in preventing end-of-bee confusion.

11. Appeals: The speller’s parent(s), legal guardian, or teacher may appeal to the judges for the speller’s 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 speller’s 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 speller’s 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 Bee’s headquarters office.

Reinstatement protocol Pronouncer mispronunciation: An appeal claiming that a speller’s 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 speller’s request for alternate pronunciations and it appears that the speller’s spelling almost matches the correct spelling. Speller’s misunderstanding: An appeal claiming that the speller’s elimination from the spelling bee was due to the speller’s not understanding the word [its pronunciation(s) and/or other information about the word] should be denied. It is the speller’s 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 bee’s proceedings or bee officials’ recollections clearly indicate that the word was indeed spelled correctly. Exception: If the speller’s spelling is listed in Webster’s 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 Webster’s Third: An appeal claiming that the speller spelled the word correctly according to a dictionary other than Webster’s 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 speller’s elimination was unfair because the speller’s 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 speller’s elimination was unfair because the speller’s 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 speller’s 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 speller’s 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 speller’s mispronunciation of the word should be denied. It is sometimes impossible to detect a speller’s 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 1–225 are Scripps National Spelling Bee School Level Study Words.

1. put

verb

to place in a specified position : lay, set.

Mrs. Sturdivant asked that her children put their toys in the closet.

2. tag

noun

a game in which one player chases the others and tries to touch one to make him it.

Joaquin and his friends played tag in the park.

3. Say to the speller “This word has a homonym.” Next, say the word. Next, provide the word’s part of speech and definition. Next, answer speller’s questions, if any, about the word.

ants

plural noun [Has homonym: aunts.]

insects living in colonies, usually burrowing in the ground or in wood and making chambers and passages in which they store their food and raise their young.

Gordy did not want his picnic ruined by ants, so he decided to have it indoors.

4. try

verb

to make an attempt to achieve something or to carry out some action.

Cleveland decided to try learning French before he studied abroad.

5. hill

noun

a more or less rounded elevation of land.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.

This is the recommended starting point for Grade 1 Classroom Spelling Bees. There is no rule stating that you must proceed word-for-word from this list.

You may skip a word if you sense that the word may present a problem at your bee.

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

provided you indicate the word’s 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 Webster’s 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.


6. Say to the speller “This word has a near-homonym.” Next, say the word. Next, provide the word’s part of speech and definition. Next, answer speller’s questions, if any, about the word.

mint

noun [Has near-homonym: meant.]

a soft or hard confection flavored with peppermint or spearmint and often served after dinner.

The staff at the fancy hotel placed a mint on each guest's pillow.

7. dime

noun

a coin of the United States first issued in 1796 and worth 1/10 dollar.

Nola had six quarters, two nickels, a dime and six pennies.


burn

noun [Has homonym: Bern.]

to be on fire.

Bonnie gathered sticks to burn in the campfire.

9. kite

noun

a device consisting of a light material stretched over a light often diamond-shaped framework, intended to be flown in the air at the end of a long string.

Libby launched her kite and then watched as it immediately got stuck in a tree.

10. lung

noun

one of the usually two organs that constitute the basic respiratory organ of air-breathing vertebrates.

Smoking is known to increase the risk of lung cancer.


beat

verb [Has homonym: beet.]

to mix together by means of repeated strong turning or stirring.

Jenelle will beat the cake batter until it is completely mixed.

12. sank

verb

became submerged : went to the bottom : submerged.

The ship hit an iceberg and sank.

13. north

noun

the direction to the left of one facing east and opposite to south.

Mitzi headed north on the highway to get home.



week

noun [Has homonym: weak.]

one of a series of seven-day cycles used in various calendars.

Jayden was excited for the week of Spring Break.


grade

noun [Has homonym: grayed/greyed.]

one of the levels of an elementary or secondary school course that usually represents a year's work.

When Irina grows up, she wants to be a fourth grade teacher.

16. lamp

noun

a light-giving device.

Meghan sat up and turned on the lamp when she heard the loud noise.

17. tooth

noun

one of the hard bony appendages that are on the jaws and that serve especially for the taking hold and chewing of food.

Franklin was excited about his first loose tooth.

18. snore

verb

to breathe during sleep with a rough hoarse noise due to vibration of the uvula and the soft palate.

Cletus began to snore so loudly that he woke his little brother up.

19. sleep

verb

to rest in the natural suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored.

After the long day of playing in the sunshine, Grant knew he would sleep well.

20. foxes

plural noun

any of various mammals related to the wolves but smaller, with shorter legs, more pointed muzzle, large erect ears and long bushy tail.

In many cultures, foxes appear in folklore as symbols of cunning and trickery.

21. slower

adjective

moving, flowing, or proceeding without rapidity or at less than the usual speed.

The tortoise was slower than the hare.


22. Say to the speller “This word could be confused with a similar word.” Next, say the word. Next, provide the word’s part of speech and definition. Next, answer speller’s questions, if any, about the word.

dinner

noun [Could be confused with dimmer.]

the principal meal of the day eaten in the evening.

Blaine couldn't wait to see what his mom had made for dinner.

23. punch

noun

a beverage composed of fruit juices and other nonalcoholic liquids (as tea, ginger ale) and usually served cold.

Yuko served punch and cookies at her party.

24. kisses

plural noun

salutes or caresses with the lips.

Tonia signed her letter by wishing her grandma lots of hugs and kisses.


morning

noun [Has a homonym: mourning.]

the early hours of light : the time from rising to noon.

Clinton hated having math class first thing in the morning.


grim

adjective [Has homonyms: grimme, proper name/geographical name Grimm.]

stern or forbidding in action or appearance.

Grim security guards were stationed at each door of the bank.

27. both

adjective

being the two : involving the one and the other.

Sven decided to eat both cookies and ruined his dinner.


taco

noun [Has homonym: Japanese tako (octopus) — not in W3.]

a sandwich made of a tortilla rolled up with or folded over a filling and usually fried.

Hugo enjoyed a chicken taco with extra salsa for lunch.




29. why

adverb

for what cause, reason, or purpose : on what account : to what end.

Clint wondered why his teachers always gave him so much homework.


bacon

noun [Could be confused with baking.]

a side of a pig after removal of spareribs and after being cured dry or in pickle and smoked.

Russell's favorite breakfast is bacon and eggs.

31. prize

noun

an honor or reward striven for in a competitive contest.

The prize for first place in the essay contest is a $5,000 scholarship.

32. hotel

noun

a building of many rooms chiefly for overnight accommodation.

Violet booked a room in a hotel on the beach.

33. crime

noun

conduct in violation of the law.

The judge's guiding principle was "let the punishment fit the crime."


poor

noun [Has near-homonyms: pore, pour.]

one that has little money — usually used collectively.

Ander donated several canned goods to the poor.

35. quilt

noun

a bed covering made of two layers of cloth of which the top one is usually pieced or appliquéd and having a filling of wool, cotton, or down held in place by stitched designs.

Sora helped her grandmother piece together a quilt from scraps of fabric.

36. doctor

noun

a practitioner of medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine.

Ali finally went to see the doctor to receive treatment for his cold.



glue

noun [Has obsolete variant glew.]

any of various strong adhesive substances.

Enzo used glue to fix the broken vase.

38. penny

noun

a cent of the United States or Canada.

Sheena believes that it's good luck to find a penny on the sidewalk.

39. view

noun

what is revealed to the vision or can usually be seen.

Molly loved her balcony's ocean view.

40. dislike

noun

a feeling of positive aversion (as to something unpleasant, uncongenial, or offensive) : displeasure.

Fatima couldn't hide her dislike for her mother's broccoli.

41. mister

noun

sir — used in direct address and not followed by the given name or surname of the man addressed.

"Hey, mister," Nadine asked, "would you like to buy some cookies?"


ladder

noun [Has homonym: latter.]

a usually portable structure for use in climbing up or down that consists commonly of two parallel sidepieces joined at short intervals by a series of crosspieces that serve as rests for the feet.

Mateo used a ladder to hang a painting high on the wall.

43. behind

adverb

in a secondary or inferior position.

Marcel came in second behind Warren in the race.

44. cowboy

noun

a distinctively dressed horseman tending large herds of beef cattle.

Marlon loved to wear his grandpa's old cowboy hat.


45. plastic

noun

any of a large group of materials of high molecular weight that usually contain as the essential ingredient a synthetic or semisynthetic organic substance, that are molded, drawn or laminated under various conditions into objects of all sizes and shapes.

Mr. Khan poured the lemonade into the plastic pitcher.


flower

verb [Has homonym: flour.]

to bloom, blossom.

Leevi's tulips flower every spring.

47. magnet

noun

a body having the property of attracting iron.

Heathcliff used a magnet to hang his artwork to the fridge.

48. popcorn

noun

the burst open form of a variety of corn that on exposure to dry heat forms a white starchy mass many times the size of the original kernel.

Nina always ordered popcorn when she went to the movies.

49. animals

plural noun

any creature except a human being.

Mia loved to see all the animals at the zoo.

50. shadow

noun

the image made by an obscured space on a surface that cuts across it usually representing in silhouette the form of the interposed body.

Peter Pan was dismayed when he lost his shadow.

51. ploy

noun

a tactic (as in games and social debate) intended to embarrass or frustrate one's opponent.

Ty foolishly fell for his brother's ploy and guessed the wrong card at Go Fish.





amber

noun [Has near-homonym: ambar.]

a very hard yellowish to brownish translucent fossil resin that takes a fine polish.

Sarah was delighted when her mother gave her a pair of earrings made of amber.

53. pluck

verb

to pull or pick off or out : gather by picking.

To finish her fruit salad, Maryam just had to pluck the grapes off their stems.

54. retire

verb

to withdraw from office, public station, business, occupation or active duty.

After working for thirty-five years at the bank, Frank is nearly ready to retire.

55. cactus

noun

any of a family of plants that are characterized chiefly by fleshy stems and branches on which the foliage leaves are usually replaced by spines, scales, or hairs.

Leah always wore gloves when tending her cactus.

56. grace

noun

the pleasing quality associated with a special and refined fitness of proportion combined with an ease and beauty of movement, action, line or expression.

Dover stumbled through the dance routine with a distinct lack of grace.

57. bumpy

adjective

having or covered with relatively abrupt protuberances on a surface.

Lucas was bounced around as the old car jolted over the bumpy road.

58. prefix

noun

a title used before a person's name.

Using the prefix "Dr." is your right if you have completed a doctorate degree in any subject.

59. safety

noun

freedom from exposure to danger.

During fire drills, students practice fire safety and evacuation routes.


60. violin

noun

a bowed, stringed musical instrument having four strings, a shallow body and a curved bridge.

Reuben played the violin as part of a string quartet.

61. eggplant

noun

the usually smooth edible purple, white, or occasionally yellow or striped fruit of a perennial herb that is widely cultivated.

Zoe always orders eggplant Parmesan when she eats at an Italian restaurant.

62. wildlife

noun

living things that are neither human nor domesticated.

Duke's favorite part of hiking in the woods was seeing all the forest wildlife.


lasso

noun [Has variant that is a homonym with the first pronunciation: lassoo.]

a rope or long thong of leather with a running noose that is used especially for catching horses and cattle.

The lasso is used today in rodeos as part of competitive events such as calf roping and team roping.

64. loaf

noun

a shaped or molded mass of bread.

Gabriela's shopping list included a gallon of milk, cheese and a loaf of wheat bread.

65. glitter

noun

small shining objects or tiny shining bits used for ornamentation or decoration.

Corrine glued pink glitter to all of her Valentine's Day cards.


freeze

verb [Has near homonym: frees.]

to stand or remain without movement or activity of any kind.

"Freeze!" Ursula's father said when he noticed her sneaking toward the dessert table.

67. deputy

noun

a second in command or an assistant who usually takes charge when a superior is absent.

Emil was named deputy for the department and took over for Doyle when he was out of town.


68. fence

noun

a structure of posts and boards, wire, pickets, or rails commonly used as an enclosure for a field or yard.

Jessie's family put a fence around their yard when they built their new pool.

69. polite

adjective

marked by or exhibiting an appearance of consideration, tact, deference, courtesy, or grace resulting sometimes from sincere consideration of others and sometimes from mere regard for etiquette.

John was always polite with adults but quite the ruffian with his friends.

70. groove

noun

a fixed routine : habit, custom, practice.

After a great summer vacation, Kimmy had a hard time getting back into the groove of the school year.

71. correct

adjective

conforming to or agreeing with fact : accurate.

Mr. Dawson gave students extra points for correct answers on bonus questions.

72. turnip

noun

either of two biennial herbs having thick edible roots eaten as a vegetable or used for feeding stock.

In his kitchen, James separated the turnip roots from the turnip greens so that he could use them in different dishes.

73. misery

noun

a state of great unhappiness and emotional distress.

When Gerty is unhappy, she wants to be left alone in her misery.

74. cursive

adjective

of writing: flowing often with the strokes of successive characters joined and the angles rounded.

To perfect his signature, Guy practiced writing his name in cursive.

75. honeybee

noun

any of certain social honey-producing colonial insects.

Miriam watched the honeybee travel from flower to flower.


76. member

noun

one of the individuals composing a society, community, association or other group.

Walt was a member of his school's championship academic team.

77. foray

noun

a raid or brief invasion.

Captain McMaster led his troops on a foray into the village.

78. owner

noun

one that has or holds as property or privilege.

When Ginger found the lost puppy, she put up signs in the neighborhood in hopes of locating its owner.

79. flung

verb

threw especially with force, violence, recklessness, or abandon : hurled.

Faye flung the door open and stormed off angrily.

80. divine

adjective

supremely good or admirable.

According to Mindy, Grandma makes the most divine cupcakes on the planet.

81. shrimp

noun

any of numerous relatively small crustaceans having a slender elongated body, an abdomen that is compressed on the sides, and long legs.

Milo enjoyed a basket of fried shrimp for dinner.

82. yonder

adjective

being at a distance within view, or at a place or in a direction known or indicated.

Cecil could not see any trees except one that was in a field yonder.

83. transform

verb

to change completely or essentially in composition or structure : metamorphose.

Caterpillars transform into butterflies.

84. predict

verb

to make an inference regarding a future event based on probability theory : prophesy.

No one could predict the winner of the spelling bee.



Are you at the end of a round? Would you like to begin a new round with an Oral Vocabulary Round? Note the number of the final spelling word you asked, and turn to

page 44 to begin the Basic Level Vocabulary Round.


85. chimney

noun

a vertical structure incorporated into a building and enclosing a flue that carries off smoke, fumes, or gases.

In order for a fireplace to function well, the chimney should be regularly maintained.

86. so-called

adjective

falsely or improperly so named or designated.

Mark's so-called exercise routine consisted of sitting in a chair and imagining doing sit-ups.

87. fuel

noun

a material (as coal, gas, oil or wood) used to produce heat or power by burning.

When camping, Lita's job was always to gather wood to use as fuel for the fire.

88. minority

noun

the smaller in number of two groups that together constitute a larger entity.

A strong minority of students preferred a pop quiz over recess.

89. landslide

noun

a great majority of votes for one side; especially : a one-sided election.

Ryan was elected class president in a landslide.

90. dictate

verb

to direct forcefully or irresistibly.

Rafael decide that he wouldn't let his brother dictate everything they did on vacation.


peddle

verb [Has homonyms: petal, pedal.]

to sell or offer for sale from place to place : hawk.

Tommy went door-to-door to peddle gift wrap for his school fund-raiser.

92. composer

noun

a person who writes music.

Karen says that Mozart is her favorite composer.

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.


93. property

noun

something that is or may be owned or possessed; specifically : a piece of real estate.

The sign warned Darcy that she was trespassing on private property.

94. another

adjective

being one more in addition to one or a number of the same kind : additional.

Gerard's mother told him he couldn't have another helping of macaroni until he finished his vegetables.

95. detective

noun

a plainclothes police officer.

The detective asked the bystanders if any of them had actually seen the burglar.

96. knock

verb

to strike upon the surface of something (as a door) with a short sharp fairly heavy blow especially so as to indicate desire to gain admittance.

Since the doorbell was broken, Robby had to knock.

97. hankering

noun

a strong desire : a great yearning.

As the holidays got closer, Bay started to have a hankering for his mom's pumpkin pie.

98. nineteen

adjective

being one more than 18 in number.

Nineteen years is a very long life for a cat.

99. hollow

adjective

having an empty space or cavity within : not solid.

The Trojan horse was hollow so that Greek soldiers could hide inside.

100. gradual

adjective

moving or developing by slight or often imperceptible changes.

Because he practiced a lot, Shin's tennis game showed gradual improvement.


101. dragnet

noun

a network of measures for apprehension (as of criminals).

The state police set up a dragnet to find the escaped convicts.

102. sketch

verb

to draw or paint a rough drawing representing an object or scene and often made as a preliminary study.

Mrs. Alexander asked her art students to sketch the bowl of fruit in front of them.

103. attitude

noun

a disposition that is primarily grounded in affect and emotion and is expressive of opinions rather than belief.

Winnie's negative attitude towards balloons began when she realized they were both fragile and loud.


humorist

noun [Has British variant: humourist.]

a writer specializing in or noted for the quality of his or her comedy or ability to amuse.

Mark Twain is perhaps America's most beloved humorist.

105. eternity

noun

a totality of infinite time.

The last school day before summer vacation felt like an eternity to Nate.

106. gangster

noun

a member of a gang of criminals.

The actor won an award for his portrayal of a Chicago gangster.

107. depict

verb

to form a likeness of by drawing or painting.

Many painters use color to depict emotion in their works.

108. uppity

adjective

marked by airs of superiority.

Lois started seeming a bit uppity after she beat her sister at volleyball.




page 44 to begin the Basic Level Vocabulary Round.



fouled

verb [Has homonym: fowled.]

committed an infringement of the rules in a game or sport (as in basketball) for which a penalty was levied against the offending person or team.

After the Blue Devils fouled him to stop the clock with six seconds left in the game, Davis nailed both free throws.

110. presence

noun

the state of being in one place and not elsewhere : the fact of being in company, attendance, or association.

When Daniel joined the soccer team, he understood that his presence was mandatory at all practices.

111. cheapskate

noun

a miserly or ungenerous person; especially : one who tries to avoid his share of costs.

Alfred was a cheapskate that hated to spend money on anything.

112. swagger

verb

conduct oneself in an arrogant manner; especially : walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence.

The undefeated team began to swagger on to the field.

113. historical

adjective

true to past events : accurate in respect to past events.

For Roberto, the reenactment lost some of its historical authenticity when he spotted a Pilgrim wearing sneakers.

114. hooligan

noun

a thug or hoodlum.

After an intense interrogation by the detective, the hooligan finally broke down and confessed.

115. whimper

verb

make a low whining plaintive or broken sound.

Laura's dogs whimper whenever they want to be fed.

116. leeway

noun

degree of freedom of action or permitted discretion : room for choice.

Creating his own major allowed Manav lots of leeway in deciding which classes to take.

117. launch

verb

to originate or set in motion : put into operation : initiate, introduce.

The software company held a press conference to launch its newest product.


118. obsidian

noun

volcanic glass that is generally black and has a bright luster.

Obsidian was valued in Stone Age cultures because, like flint, it could be fractured to produce sharp blades or arrowheads.

119. smoothie or smoothy

noun

a creamy beverage made of fruit blended with juice, milk or yogurt.

Susan always had a mango smoothie after she worked out at the gym.

120. yeast

noun

a substance used in baking and the fermentation of alcoholic beverages : leaven.

The sourdough bread recipe called for two packages of yeast.

121. issue

verb

to cause to appear or become available by officially putting forth or distributing.

The post office held a contest to decide which of five holiday stamps they would issue.

122. elude

verb

to avoid slyly or adroitly (as by artifice, stratagem, or dexterity) : evade.

During hide-and-seek, Precious tried to elude capture by wearing green and hiding in a tree.

123. spreadsheet

noun

an accounting program for a computer.

Lou's dad kept a spreadsheet with running totals of how much money she owed him.

124. bombard

verb

to attack vigorously or persistently (as with questions or petitions).

Missy regretted signing up for the website's newsletter when it immediately began to bombard her inbox with spam messages.


. sought

verb [Has homonym: sot.]

went in search of : looked for : searched for.

After Mary Poppins' departure, Mr. Banks sought a new nanny for his children.

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.


126. rebuff

noun

an abrupt or unceremonious rejection of an offer or advance : snub.

Too afraid of receiving a rebuff, Mortie did not ask Sasha to the dance.

127. apiary

noun

a collection of hives or colonies of bees kept for their honey.

Mr. Dean set up his apiary near a clover field so that the bees could easily collect nectar.

128. levity

noun

excessive or unseemly frivolity : lack of fitting seriousness.

Delia didn't appreciate Marie's unnecessary levity during the business negotiations.

129. endure

verb

to undergo (as a hardship or difficulty) especially without faltering, giving in, or breaking.

Curtis didn't know how much longer he could endure the torture of suit shopping with his mother.

130. pliant

adjective

flexible : workable : lithe.

To make his catcher's mitt more pliant, Gary smeared shaving gel on it and baked it at a low temperature.

131. kinsman

noun

a person from the same family : a relative.

Crystal bought a house with the money she inherited from her kinsman, an elderly uncle.

132. imbibe

verb

to consume by drinking.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him imbibe.

133. astonish

verb

to surprise greatly : amaze.

After years as a private detective, nothing ever seemed to astonish Keith.

134. hydra

noun

a many-sided problem or obstacle that presents new difficulties each time one aspect of it is solved or overcome.

World peace is a hydra that no one has yet solved.




135. situation

noun

a critical, trying, or unusual state of affairs.

"We have a situation here," barked the actor in the film, alerting the audience that a disaster was imminent.

136. incentive

noun

something (as fear or hope of reward) that constitutes a motive or stimulus.

Ricardo offered a $500 reward as an incentive for returning his lost dog.

137. consternation

noun

grievous exasperation or distraction.

Tanya and Kyle looked at each other in consternation as their mother kept adding to their list of summer chores.

138. antipathy

noun

settled aversion or dislike : repugnance, distaste.

Bo's antipathy for vegetables is well known.

139. mollify

verb

soothe in temper or disposition : pacify.

The barber hoped that giving the crying boy a lollipop will mollify him.

140. permafrost

noun

a permanently frozen layer of soil, subsoil, or other deposit occurring at variable depth below the earth's surface in arctic or subarctic regions.

During the Alaska gold rush, miners had to dig through the permafrost to reach the gold.

141. cinematic

adjective

played, narrated, or otherwise presented for photographing with a motion-picture camera and projection on a screen or suited or adapted for such reproduction.

The actress received rave reviews for her cinematic debut.

142. agitation

noun

mental excitement or emotional perturbation : a tremulous and disturbed state.

When Ty spoke, his agitation at his team's loss was obvious.


sororal

adjective [Could be confused with sororial.]

of, relating to, or in the relationship of a sister.

Though Melanie and Lynette are 8 years apart in age, they share a strong sororal bond and are very close.


144. equinox

noun

either of the two times each year when the Sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere of equal length, being about March 21st and September 23rd.

Clark always looked forward to the spring equinox because that meant the days would start getting longer again.

145. correlation

noun

the presentation of phenomena as invariable accompaniments of each other whether causally connected or not.

Gordy quickly noticed the strong correlation between his lack of studying and his low test grade.


chicle

noun [Has homonym: chickell.]

a gum obtained from the latex of the sapodilla tree largely from Yucatan and Central America and used as the chief ingredient of chewing gum.

When the supply of chicle could not keep up with the demand, synthetic gums were developed using manufactured latex that was flavored.

147. Pulitzer

noun

any of several annual awards for outstanding literary or journalistic achievement or public service established by the will of Joseph Pulitzer.

To be considered for the Fiction, Biography and General Nonfiction Pulitzer categories, authors must be United States citizens.

148. wattage

noun

amount of power expressed in 1/746 horsepower.

Wattage is the indication of how much power a light bulb consumes, not the amount of light it generates.

149. lolled

verb

reclined, leaned, or moved in a lax, lazy, or indolent manner : idled, lounged, sprawled.

While her family swam, Adelaide lolled on the beach and read.

150. qualms

plural noun

sudden misgivings or faintheartedness.

Libby began to have qualms about riding the roller coaster when she saw how many loops there were.


151. famished

verb

deprived of food : starved.

Hannah famished rather than eat her peas.

152. aura

noun

distinctive appearance or impression.

Inga had an aura of authority that naturally lead to her being team captain.

153. diadem

noun

a crown; specifically : an ornamental headband worn (as by Eastern monarchs) as a badge of royalty.

Natalya admired the jewel encrusted diadem on display at the Kremlin Museum.

154. lucrative

adjective

producing wealth : moneymaking : profitable.

Darryl's lemonade stand proved to be more lucrative than he expected.

155. regnal

adjective

of or relating to a reign, kingdom, or king.

A regnal name is a name used by a monarch or pope while reigning, and is not necessarily a birth name.

156. corduroy

noun

a cut-pile fabric with vertical ribs or wales, usually made of cotton.

Mitzi bought a corduroy jacket with colorful patches at the elbows.

157. bric-a-brac

noun

miscellaneous objects regarded as decorative or of a sentimental value and usually collected in one place : curios.

The china cabinet at Alvar's grandmother's was stuffed with bric-a-brac she had collected over the years.

158. travesty

noun

literary or artistic imitation usually grotesquely incongruous in style, treatment, or subject matter : parody.

Young Frankenstein is a popular travesty of Mary Shelley's original novel.




page 47 to begin the Intermediate Level Vocabulary Round.




159. photogenic

adjective

eminently suitable for being photographed especially from the aesthetic point of view.

Emily Ann though her pet corgi was extremely photogenic and had several pictures of him on her phone.

160. derivative

adjective

made up of or marked by elements or qualities taken or received from something else : lacking originality.

Janeesha believes that all creative works are derivative of what came before.

161. winnow

verb

to analyze and assort to obtain the most desirable : select, separate, sift.

Yuki conducted a blind taste test to winnow out the best brownie recipe.

162. imperious

adjective

arrogant : overbearing : domineering.

Cinderella wanted nothing more than to escape her imperious stepmother.

163. rejuvenate

verb

impart renewed vitality to : reinvigorate.

Marisol took a nap to rejuvenate herself before she went to the party.

164. adroitly

adverb

in a manner that is dexterous in the use of the hands.

The server adroitly balanced the tray while handing Casey and Gina their drinks.

165. emblazoned

verb

set off conspicuously (as by rich or brilliant decorations).

Steffy had her name emblazoned on the back of her school jacket.

166. mammalian

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of the highest class of Vertebrata comprising man and all other animals that nourish their young with milk, that have the skin usually more or less covered with hair, and warm blood.

The duck-billed platypus has a combination of reptilian and mammalian features.

167. tangible

adjective

capable of being touched : able to be perceived as materially existent especially by the sense of touch.

Although Ellen's happiness is not tangible, it is very real.


168. leonine

adjective

resembling or suggesting that of a lion.

Becky's wild curly hair formed a leonine mane around her face.


torsion

noun [Adjective form torsional has variant spelling tortional.]

the act of turning or twisting : the state of being twisted.

Torsion catapults were used frequently in medieval warfare.

170. acrylics

plural noun

paints in which the binder is a glasslike thermoplastic.

Though Alison enjoys both watercolor and oils, she loves painting with acrylics.


dawdle

verb [Has near-homonym: doddle.]

spend more time than is necessary or usual in doing something : loiter.

Because he hated doing the dishes, Kavi would often dawdle over his dinner.

172. congressional

adjective

of or relating to the supreme legislative body of a nation and especially of a republic.

Public outrage led to a congressional investigation into the scandal.


malaise

noun [Could be confused with differently pronounced variant malease. Also, has near homonym: Malays.]

an indefinite feeling of generalized lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness.

Chickenpox in children begins with symptoms of general malaise and fever.

174. vice versa

adverb

with the relations reversed : conversely.

Patricia can translate from Spanish to English and vice versa.




175. moustache or mustache

noun

the hair growing on a person's upper lip or that on either side of the upper lip.

Uncle Adrian had crumbs from dinner stuck in his moustache.

176. gustatory

adjective

of, relating to, affecting, or associated with the sense of taste.

Skye loved to cook but not all of her gustatory experiments were successful.

177. omnibus

adjective

of, relating to, or providing for many things or classes at once : containing or including many items.

Ursula purchased a leather-bound omnibus edition of Jane Austen's works.

178. perceived

verb

became aware of through the senses.

Through the mist, Stella perceived the shape of a house.


appellate

adjective [Could be confused with appellant.]

having the power to review and affirm, reverse, or modify the judgment or decision of another tribunal.

The appellate court decided to reverse the lower court's verdict.

180. complacency

noun

satisfaction or self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.

Kayla's complacency about her schoolwork was shattered when she got her dismal report card.





page 47 to begin the Intermediate Level Vocabulary Round.



. ombudsman

noun [Could be confused with plural ombudsmen.]

a government official appointed to receive and investigate complaints made by individuals against abuses or capricious acts of public officials.

When a complaint is settled through the mediation of the ombudsman, he makes the recommendations he thinks are fair.

182. dodecahedron

noun

a solid having 12 plane faces.

A dodecahedron is used as a die in some role-playing games.

183. porosity

noun

the quality or state of being capable of absorbing moisture.

Because of eggplant's porosity, it soaks up oil and marinades very easily.

184. gluttonous

adjective

marked by or given to greedy or excessive indulgence of any desire or faculty.

Faye was a gluttonous reader who finished eight novels a week.

185. illustrious

adjective

notably or brilliantly outstanding.

After a long and illustrious career in politics, the senator was ready to retire.


rappelled

verb [Has near homonym: repelled.]

descended a precipitous cliff by means of a rope.

Simon pushed off with his feet as he rappelled back down the cliff.

187. schism

noun

a division of a group into two discordant groups.

The Civil War caused a deep schism between the North and South.

188. circumstantial

adjective

belonging to, consisting of, influenced by, or dependent on conditions, facts, or events accompanying others.

Jordan claimed that the evidence was circumstantial and not enough to prove she was guilty.

189. anticipatory

adjective

characterized by the act of looking forward.

Anticipatory frenzy grew as the teams came onto the field.


190. sedentary

adjective

characterized by or requiring sitting or slight activity.

Heidi accused Adrian of being a couch potato but he preferred to say he had a sedentary lifestyle.

191. elegiac

adjective

of, relating to, befitting, or comprising a song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead.

Young Denzel wrote a surprisingly touching elegiac poem for his pet hamster.

192. Herculean

adjective

of extraordinary might or tremendous difficulty.

Campbell now faced the Herculean task of cleaning his room before his parents came home.

193. petroglyphs

plural noun

carvings or inscriptions on a rock.

Javier was fascinated by the intricate petroglyphs carved into the cave wall.

194. annihilation

noun

the act of destroying totally or the state of being destroyed totally.

The nation is building a missile defense shield to prevent nuclear annihilation.

195. occipital

adjective

of or relating to the back part of the head of a vertebrate or an insect.

Mr. Stein's occipital bone was fractured in the accident.

196. importunate

adjective

troublesomely urgent : overly persistent in request or demand.

Peter's importunate requests for help cause his coworkers to avoid him.

197. guineas

plural noun

English gold coins issued from 1663 to 1813 worth 21 shillings.

Workers restoring the old Irish house found hundreds of guineas hidden beneath the floorboards.

198. Pavlovian

adjective

of or relating to the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov or to his work and experiments.

A Pavlovian response is a completely predictable, automatic reaction to a particular stimulus.



queue

noun [Has homonym: cue.]

a sequence of messages or jobs held in auxiliary storage awaiting transmission or processing.

Adam's biology paper was stuck in the print queue behind Mrs. Mann's 400 page classroom handout.

200. lingua franca

noun

something (as a system of common interests or social symbols) that functions like a common language in making individuals comprehensible to one another.

Kotori believes that money is the lingua franca of private business.

201. galoot

noun

a man who is strange, odd or foolish.

Though Lorna called her brother a big galoot, she missed him when he went away to college.

202. satiety

noun

the quality or state of being fed to or beyond capacity : fullness.

Early satiety is the condition of feeling full after eating less than usual.

203. anonymity

noun

the quality or state of being with the name unknown or unrevealed (as through absence or lack of identification, individuality, or personality).

Hoping to keep his anonymity, the movie star pulled his baseball cap lower over his head.

204. macrocosm

noun

a complex regarded as a whole world in itself.

Students are individual members in the macrocosm of middle school.

205. collegiate

adjective

designed for the use or relevant to the life of university students often on the nonacademic side.

In some places, collegiate basketball is more popular than professional basketball.





roustabout

noun [Has near homonym: Australian variant rouseabout.]

an unskilled or semiskilled laborer.

The roustabout assisted in general work around the oil rig.


follicle

noun [Could be confused with differently pronounced synonymous cross-reference follicule.]

a small cavity or deep narrow-mouthed depression.

Whether or not pulled hair grows back depends on how much damage the follicle received.


comedienne

noun [Could be confused with comedian.]

an actress who plays in dramas of light and amusing character and typically with a happy ending.

Lucille Ball was America's favorite comedienne during the 1950s.

209. quorum

noun

the number of members of an organization who when assembled can legally transact business in the absence of the other members.

There were not enough members present at the school board meeting to constitute a quorum, so no voting took place.

210. maunder

verb

to move or progress slowly and uncertainly without definite aim or course.

When Ken and Barb are on vacation, they love to maunder through the local marketplaces.


aphasia

noun [Has near homonym: aphagia.]

the loss or impairment of the power to use words as symbols of ideas that results from a brain lesion.

As a speech therapist, Jenna works with several patients struggling with aphasia.

212. circadian

adjective

being, having, characterized by, or occurring in approximately 24-hour periods or cycles (as of biological activity or function).

Jet lag can adversely affect a person's circadian rhythms.


213. suasion

noun

the act or an instance of urging or convincing.

Moral suasion was a tactic used by abolitionists in their fight to end slavery.

214. anthropomorphic

adjective

described or thought of as having human form or attributes : ascribing human characteristics to nonhuman things.

The new children's cartoon starred an anthropomorphic badger that danced and sang.

215. scintillation

noun

rapid changes in the brightness of a celestial body caused by turbulence in Earth's atmosphere: twinkling.

The stars' scintillation is less pronounced at higher altitudes.

216. velociraptor

noun

a dinosaur having a long head with a flat snout and a large sickle-shaped claw on the second toe of each foot.

Unlike its depiction in the movie Jurassic Park, the real velociraptor was feathered and about the size of a large chicken.

217. pyrotechnics

plural noun

a display of fireworks.

The baseball team celebrated each victory with pyrotechnics.

218. Caucasian

adjective

of or relating to the Caucasus, a region between the Black & Caspian seas, or its inhabitants.

An antique Caucasian rug can cost several thousand dollars.

219. fait accompli

noun

a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible.

The army's defeat was a fait accompli that led to their eventual surrender.


bourgeois

adjective [Care should be taken when pronouncing end of word. Could be confused with noun bourgeoise.]

of, belonging to, or characteristic of the townspeople or of the social middle class.

The senator said that he believes in the bourgeois virtue of thriftiness.




221. epizootic

adjective

of or relating to a disease affecting many animals of one kind at the same time.

Great measures were put into place to ensure that the epizootic foot-and-mouth disease does not enter the United States.

222. accoutrement or accouterment

noun

any article of equipment or dress especially when used merely as an accessory.

Aisha predicted that straw hats would be the must-have accoutrement this summer.


wildebeest

noun [Could be confused with similarly pronounced plural: wildebeeste.]

any of several rather large but compact African antelopes having a large head like that of an ox, short mane, long and flowing tail, and horns.

On his visit to Namibia, Xander saw a wildebeest and its calf grazing on the grassy plains.

224. hoi polloi

plural noun

ordinary people : the general populace : multitude, masses.

Rami dreamed of flying first class to avoid being crammed in coach with the hoi polloi.

225. fêng shui

noun

a system of geomancy employed in China to bring practice into harmony with natural forces.

Hong used fêng shui to determine where her bed should be located in her new room.







Words 226–250 are selected from Webster’s Third.

226. obscure

adjective

not readily understood : lacking clarity or legibility.

The idea the paragraph was trying to convey was expressed in an unnecessarily obscure way.

227. pulpit

noun

a usually enclosed elevated platform or a high reading desk used in preaching.

Sondra became nervous as she approached the pulpit to read a poem during her sister's wedding.

228. transpire

verb

to come to pass : happen, occur.

Callie noted mournfully that recess always seemed to transpire too quickly.

229. squeamish

adjective

inclined to become nauseated : queasy.

Seeing blood makes Pat feel squeamish.


futile

adjective [Has homonym: feudal.]

serving no useful purpose : ineffective, fruitless.

When his hunt for one proved futile, it became clear that Fido had become too good at hiding bones in the yard.

231. humidify

verb

make damp or moist (as the atmosphere).

Teresa will humidify the room by setting bowls of water on the warm radiator.

232. cursory

adjective

rapidly often superficially performed with scant attention to detail : hasty.

After only a cursory glance, Mrs. Collins returned the book report to Evan with the suggestion that he try proofreading it once more.

233. intensity

noun

extreme strength, force or energy.

Gino was astonished at the little flashlight's intensity.


234. portrayal

noun

the act or process of making a picture or image.

As a sketch artist with the police department, Vincent compares different witnesses' descriptions when refining his portrayal of a suspect in a crime.

235. gumption

noun

blended initiative, resolution, and effort.

Of all his brothers, only Grandpa had the gumption to leave the old country and come to America.

236. mimicry

noun

a superficial resemblance that some organisms exhibit to other organisms or to the natural objects among which they live and thereby secure concealment, protection, or some other advantage.

The insect world abounds with examples of mimicry.

237. absurdist

adjective

of, relating to, or dealing with a philosophy based on the belief that man exists in an irrational and meaningless universe.

Absurdist fiction, as illustrated by the works of Kafka and Camus, depicts a fruitless search for purpose in life.

238. conflated

verb

brought together : collected, fused, merged.

When Viola got her algebra test back, she realized she had accidentally conflated two unrelated formulas.

239. acrobatic

adjective

performed with body contortions or tossing of one dancer by a partner.

Yasuko and Hiromi easily won the dance contest with their acrobatic version of the tango.

240. moroseness

noun

the quality or state of being marked by or expressive of gloom.

The moroseness of the decaying mansion gave Scott the heebie-jeebies.

241. ambulatory

adjective

of or relating to walking.

Lea prefers to stay fit by swimming, while her parents prefer ambulatory exercise.

242. quadruplets

plural noun

a group of four offspring born at one birth.

Melinda was shocked to learn she would not just be having one baby, but quadruplets.


243. accustomed

adjective

in the habit or custom : established in the practice.

John was becoming quite accustomed to being called "Jack" by his friends.

244. gravitational

adjective

of or relating to a force manifested by acceleration towards each other of two free material particles or bodies.

If the gravitational force of Earth were turned off momentarily, we would all get a free ride into space.

245. acrimonious

adjective

caustic, biting, or rancorous especially in feeling, language, or manner : bitter.

Marjorie's criticism was constructive, not acrimonious.

246. sardonically

adverb

in a manner characterized by derision or scorn : with an attitude disdainfully or skeptically humorous.

Nancy remarked sardonically that the best economic situation for the country would be a major war.

247. imperturbable

adjective

unlikely to be disconcerted, agitated, or alarmed.

Hitherto imperturbable, Stacy suddenly showed signs of alarm.

248. therapeutic

adjective

of or relating to the treatment of disease or disorders by remedial agents or methods : curative.

Changes in diet can have a therapeutic effect on hypertension, peptic ulcers, osteoporosis, and many other conditions.

249. oleaginous

adjective

characterized by smooth courteousness or sickly sentimentality.

Grandpa was too smart to be taken in by oleaginous salespersons.

250. shamateurism

noun

the practice of treating certain athletes as if they are eligible for nonprofessional competition while subsidizing them with illegal payments or with excessive expense money.

Shamateurism was common in Olympic sports until professional athletes were allowed to compete.


Numerical Index of Spelling Words

1. put 2. tag 3. ants 4. try 5. hill 6. mint 7. dime 8. burn 9. kite 10. lung 11. beat 12. sank 13. north 14. week 15. grade 16. lamp 17. tooth 18. snore 19. sleep 20. foxes 21. slower 22. dinner 23. punch 24. kisses 25. morning 26. grim 27. both 28. taco 29. why 30. bacon 31. prize 32. hotel 33. crime 34. poor 35. quilt 36. doctor 37. glue 38. penny 39. view 40. dislike 41. mister 42. ladder 43. behind 44. cowboy 45. plastic 46. flower 47. magnet 48. popcorn 49. animals 50. shadow 51. ploy

52. amber 53. pluck 54. retire 55. cactus 56. grace 57. bumpy 58. prefix 59. safety 60. violin 61. eggplant 62. wildlife 63. lasso 64. loaf 65. glitter 66. freeze 67. deputy 68. fence 69. polite 70. groove 71. correct 72. turnip 73. misery 74. cursive 75. honeybee 76. member 77. foray 78. owner 79. flung 80. divine 81. shrimp 82. yonder 83. transform 84. predict 85. chimney 86. so-called 87. fuel 88. minority 89. landslide 90. dictate 91. peddle 92. composer 93. property 94. another 95. detective 96. knock 97. hankering 98. nineteen 99. hollow 100. gradual 101. dragnet 102. sketch

103. attitude 104. humorist 105. eternity 106. gangster 107. depict 108. uppity 109. fouled 110. presence 111. cheapskate 112. swagger 113. historical 114. hooligan 115. whimper 116. leeway 117. launch 118. obsidian 119. smoothie or smoothy 120. yeast 121. issue 122. elude 123. spreadsheet 124. bombard 125. sought 126. rebuff 127. apiary 128. levity 129. endure 130. pliant 131. kinsman 132. imbibe 133. astonish 134. hydra 135. situation 136. incentive 137. consternation 138. antipathy 139. mollify 140. permafrost 141. cinematic 142. agitation 143. sororal 144. equinox 145. correlation 146. chicle 147. pulitzer 148. wattage 149. lolled 150. qualms 151. famished 152. aura

153. diadem 154. lucrative 155. regnal 156. corduroy 157. bric-a-brac 158. travesty 159. photogenic 160. derivative 161. winnow 162. imperious 163. rejuvenate 164. adroitly 165. emblazoned 166. mammalian 167. tangible 168. leonine 169. torsion 170. acrylics 171. dawdle 172. congressional 173. malaise 174. vice versa 175. moustache or mustache 176. gustatory 177. omnibus 178. perceived 179. appellate 180. complacency 181. ombudsman 182. dodecahedron 183. porosity 184. gluttonous 185. illustrious 186. rappelled 187. schism 188. circumstantial 189. anticipatory 190. sedentary 191. elegiac 192. herculean 193. petroglyphs 194. annihilation 195. occipital 196. importunate 197. guineas 198. pavlovian 199. queue 200. lingua franca 201. galoot 202. satiety

203. anonymity 204. macrocosm 205. collegiate 206. roustabout 207. follicle 208. comedienne 209. quorum 210. maunder 211. aphasia 212. circadian 213. suasion 214. anthropomorphic 215. scintillation 216. velociraptor 217. pyrotechnics 218. caucasian 219. fait accompli 220. bourgeois 221. epizootic 222. accoutrement or accouterment 223. wildebeest 224. hoi polloi 225. feng shui 226. obscure 227. pulpit 228. transpire 229. squeamish 230. futile 231. humidify 232. cursory 233. intensity 234. portrayal 235. gumption 236. mimicry 237. absurdist 238. conflated 239. acrobatic 240. moroseness 241. ambulatory 242. quadruplets 243. accustomed 244. gravitational 245. acrimonious 246. sardonically 247. imperturbable 248. therapeutic 249. oleaginous 250. shamateurism


Oral Vocabulary Round: Basic Level

Instructions: Read aloud the word, the vocabulary question and both options (A) and (B), but not indicate which option is correct. Respond to speller’s requests for the question and/or answer options to be repeated. You may also provide the spelling of the word in question. A speller may answer the question by providing:

• the letter associated with the chosen answer, • the chosen answer or • both.

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.”

1. moviegoer \ \

What does a moviegoer do? A. frequently sees films B. directs films 2. lawyer \ \

Which of the following tasks would a lawyer perform at work? A. conduct lawsuits B. stitch together garments 3. Halloween or Hallowe'en \ \

When does Halloween occur? A. in early spring B. in October 4. legacy \ \

A legacy is: A. a knee brace B. something from the past 5. merge \ \

What does it mean to merge? A. to combine or unite B. to plead or beg


6. domain \ \

What is a domain? A. the pelt of a deer B. a large subdivision of the internet 7. science \ \

Science is a: A. group of things that appear to be connected but aren't B. specific field of knowledge 8. entrance \ \ Which of these is an example of an entrance? A. a door B. a magic wand 9. podium \ \

A podium is a type of: A. platform B. foot 10. Because the following word has a homonym, say the word then spell it aloud.

taught \ \

If you've been taught something, you've been: A. shown how B. given a gift 11. stubble \ \

Stubble is: A. a painting technique B. a short growth of beard 12. permission \ \

What is permission? A. formal consent B. a product for curling hair 13. logical \ \

Something described as logical is: A. able to be reasonably inferred from facts B. related to a dispute about words 14. basically \ \

Basically means: A. rhythmically B. essentially


15. premium \ \ Something described as premium is: A. related to newborn babies B. more expensive than the norm 16. bassoon \ \

A bassoon is: A. a woodwind instrument B. any of various large African and Asiatic primates 17. Because the following word could be confused with a similar word, say the word then spell it aloud.

joust \ \

Where would you see someone joust? A. at a swap meet B. at a Renaissance fair

18. carriage \ \

What do you do with a carriage? A. ride in it B. plant it in the ground 19. enviable \ \

If something is enviable, it is: A. venomous but harmless to humans B. highly desirable 20. introverted \ \

A person described as introverted is: A. extremely near-sighted when not using corrective lenses B. preoccupied with his or her own thoughts and feelings 21. awash \ \

Another word for awash is: A. overflowing B. bathing 22. quaver \ \ What does it mean to quaver? A. to hang about B. to utter uncertain sounds 23. wren \ \

What is a wren? A. a brown singing bird B. a hand tool used for holding


24. trifle \ \

A trifle: A. shuffles about slowly B. isn't worth a lot 25. gorgon \ \ What is a characteristic of a gorgon? A. gemstones for fingernails B. snakes for hair

To return to a spelling round: Return to the word number you noted before beginning this oral vocabulary round.


Oral Vocabulary Round: Intermediate Level Instructions: Read aloud the word, the vocabulary question and both options (A) and (B), but not indicate which option is correct. Respond to speller’s requests for the question and/or answer options to be repeated. You may also provide the spelling of the word in question. A speller may answer the question by providing:

• the letter associated with the chosen answer, • the chosen answer or • both.

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.”

1. Because the following word could be confused with a similar word, say the word then spell it aloud.

tomahawk \ \

A tomahawk is a type of: A. bird B. Native American axe 2. monochrome \ \

What does monochrome refer to? A. the art of painting in a single hue B. a doctrine that all of life exists as one 3. sapphire \ \

A sapphire is: A. an Old World herb resembling a thistle B. a blue gemstone 4. injurious \ \

Another word for injurious is: A. judicial B. harmful 5. Because the following word has a homonym, say the word then spell it aloud.

bonsai \ \

Where would you most likely encounter a bonsai? A. at a circus B. in a greenhouse


6. aficionado or afficionado \ \

What is another word for aficionado? A. fan B. blockade 7. quadrillion \ \

A quadrillion is: A. a period of 400 years B. an extremely large number 8. focaccia \ \

What do you do with focaccia? A. eat it B. write on it 9. agitprop \ \

Agitprop is: A. sustaining agriculture B. communist propaganda

10. carcinogen \ \

A carcinogen: A. can cause cancerous growth B. is a Spanish prison 11. cumbersome \ \

Another way to say cumbersome is: A. unwieldy B. grandiose 12. recoup \ \

What does it mean to recoup? A. reaffirm a life philosophy B. compensate for losses 13. chancellor \ \

What is a chancellor? A. one who performs Gregorian chants B. a European chief minister of state 14. plagiarism \ \

What is plagiarism? A. stage fright B. passing off another's work as your own


15. armistice \ \

What is an armistice? A. a temporary suspension of hostilities B. a judge presiding over a common-law court

16. Because the following word has a homonym, say the word then spell it aloud.

ragamuffin \ \

A ragamuffin is: A. an unkempt youth B. a breakfast pastry containing raisins 17. Because the following word could be confused with a similar word, say the word then spell it aloud.

abstruse \ \

Something described as abstruse is: A. an angle exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees B. difficult to understand 18. laureate \ \

A laureate has: A. an award for outstanding achievement B. flowers in series of three 19. prognosticate \ \

What does it mean to prognosticate? A. diagnose B. foretell 20. courtier \ \

What does a courtier do? A. helps conduct engagements or provides other matchmaking services B. frequents a sovereign's place of residence 21. histrionics \ \

A person indulging in histrionics is: A. acting stagy to produce a response from others B. a fan of archeology 22. Because the following word could be confused with a similar word, say the word then spell it aloud.

ostracism \ \

What does ostracism refer to? A. deliberate avoidance of conditions as they exist B. exclusion from social acceptance 23. Because the following word could be confused with a similar word, say the word then spell it aloud.

genoise \ \

A genoise is a type of: A. bow or curtsy B. cake


24. presumptuous \ \

A presumptuous person is known to: A. be on time B. take liberties 25. vestigial \ \

A vestigial organ is one that: A. regulates body temperature B. remains from an earlier stage of development

To return to a spelling round: Return to the word number you noted before beginning this oral vocabulary round.

This is copyrighted material. Do not post to Web.

Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test First Grade

1. Lace is:

A. a fine fabric

B. a castle

C. a temporary stop

2. Where would you find a snowflake?

A. in fish food

B. in the pantry

C. in the arctic

3. An acorn is:

A. an old joke

B. the nut of an oak tree

C. a mythical one-horned beast

4. When would a globe be useful to you?

A. while making coffee

B. while studying geography

C. while getting ready in the morning

5. Who would be most likely to wear a mask?

A. a world leader

B. a massage therapist

C. a superhero

6. What does an eel most resemble?

A. a bluebird

B. a snake

C. an alligator

7. What is jam?

A. a long-sleeved coat

B. a bad actor

C. a fruit spread

8. Grass is:

A. a drinking vessel

B. a narrow-leafed plant

C. a yellow metal

9. A pillow is used for:

A. making paper

B. predicting the weather

C. sleeping on

10. What is a moose?

A. a chocolate dessert

B. a large mammal with antlers

C. a bit of gossip or small talk


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test First Grade Answer Key

1. Lace is:

A. fine fabric

B. a castle

C. a temporary stop

2. Where would you find a snowflake?

A. in fish food

B. in the pantry

C. in the arctic

3. An acorn is:

A. an old joke

B. the nut of an oak tree

C. a mythical one-horned beast

4. When would a globe be useful to you?

A. while making coffee

B. while studying geography

C. while getting ready in the morning

5. Who would be most likely to wear a mask?

A. a world leader

B. a massage therapist

C. a superhero

6. What does an eel most resemble?

A. a bluebird

B. a snake

C. an alligator

7. What is jam?

A. a long-sleeved coat

B. a bad actor

C. a fruit spread

8. Grass is:

A. a drinking vessel

B. a narrow-leafed plant

C. a yellow metal

9. A pillow is used for:

A. making paper

B. predicting the weather

C. sleeping on

10. What is a moose?

A. a chocolate dessert

B. a large mammal with antlers

C. a bit of gossip or small talk


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Second Grade

1. A shark is a kind of:

A. mammal

B. mollusk

C. fish

2. What does an alarm do?

A. stores lots of information

B. is against a standard point of view

C. warns or signals

3. What is a hobby?

A. a favorite activity

B. a large entranceway

C. a British policeman

4. What does it mean to shout?

A. to speak loudly

B. to take an exam

C. to jog

5. Another word for drink is:

A. spring

B. dip

C. beverege

6. If something is broken, it has been:

A. cooked in an oven

B. shattered into pieces

C. spending too much money

7. What is another word for partner?

A. cowboy

B. colleague

C. separation

8. Another word for joyful is:

A. self-conscious

B. appalling

C. happy

9. A crane is a:

A. strong need

B. type of bird

C. cowardly person

10. Another word for soggy is:

A. stylish

B. soaked

C. tenuous


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Second Grade Answer Key

1. A shark is a kind of:

A. mammal

B. mollusk

C. fish

2. What does an alarm do?

A. stores lots of information

B. is against a standard point of view

C. warns or signals

3. What is a hobby?

A. a favorite activity

B. a large entranceway

C. a British policeman

4. What does it mean to shout?

A. to speak loudly

B. to take an exam

C. to jog

5. Another word for drink is:

A. spring

B. dip

C. beverege

6. If something is broken, it has been:

A. cooked in an oven

B. shattered into pieces

C. spending too much money

7. What is another word for partner?

A. cowboy

B. colleague

C. separation

8. Another word for joyful is:

A. self-conscious

B. appalling

C. happy

9. A crane is a:

A. strong need

B. type of bird

C. cowardly person

10. Another word for soggy is:

A. stylish

B. soaked

C. tenuous


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Third Grade

1. A market is a place to:

A. buy and sell goods

B. ride rollercoasters

C. keep score during a tennis match

2. Something described as royal is:

A. base or common

B. property of the crown

C. rapidly moving in rough water

3. A saying is a:

A. rocker

B. stream

C. proverb

4. Which of these is an example of a pouch?

A. a pair of shoes

B. an eagle's nest

C. a coin purse

5. Something described as urban relates to:

A. the country

B. a city

C. a type of hat

6. What is another word for honor?

A. recogntion

B. stone

C. habit

7. A barge is:

A. a large, flat-bottomed boat

B. a butter substitute made from vegetable oils

C. liberty or freedom

8. Inched means:

A. squeezed tightly

B. married

C. moved slowly

9. If a fabric is pastel, it is:

A. tightly woven

B. delicate and easily frayed

C. pale and light in color

10. A person described as well-off is:

A. prosperous

B. far into a journey

C. short-sighted


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Third Grade Answer Key

1. A market is a place to:

A. buy and sell goods

B. ride rollercoasters

C. keep score during a tennis match

2. Something described as royal is:

A. base or common

B. property of the crown

C. rapidly moving in rough water

3. A saying is a:

A. rocker

B. stream

C. proverb

4. Which of these is an example of a pouch?

A. a pair of shoes

B. an eagle's nest

C. a coin purse

5. Something described as urban relates to:

A. the country

B. a city

C. a type of hat

6. What is another word for honor?

A. recogntion

B. stone

C. habit

7. A barge is:

A. a large, flat-bottomed boat

B. a butter substitute made from vegetable oils

C. liberty or freedom

8. Inched means:

A. squeezed tightly

B. married

C. moved slowly

9. If a fabric is pastel, it is:

A. tightly woven

B. delicate and easily frayed

C. pale and light in color

10. A person described as well-off is:

A. prosperous

B. far into a journey

C. short-sighted


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Fourth Grade

1. A lumberjack is a:

A. person who cuts down trees

B. rabbit with deer antlers

C. device for pressing wildflowers

2. An arrow is:

A. a mistake

B. a weapon

C. a grove of trees

3. Piracy is:

A. seclusion

B. high seas robbery

C. the mineral known as fool's gold

4. A scorpion is:

A. one of the signs of the Zodiac

B. an intensely hot day

C. a venomous arachnid

5. Another word for empower is:

A. enable

B. rewire

C. pulverize

6. Another word for shortfall is:

A. deficit

B. stumble

C. avalanche

7. What is another word for confess?

A. alter

B. admit

C. discuss

8. What does insight refer to?

A. clear and immediate understanding

B. a condition of the eye resulting from extended staring at a screen

C. slow-wittedness

9. A cowlick refers to:

A. a bovine tongue

B. a lock of hair that sticks up

C. a lack of bravery

10. If something thawed, it:

A. landed hard

B. possessed a fault or defect

C. was warmed up


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Fourth Grade Answer Key

1. A lumberjack is a:

A. person who cuts down trees

D. rabbit with deer antlers

E. device for pressing wildflowers

2. An arrow is:

A. a mistake

B. a weapon

C. a grove of trees

3. Piracy is:

A. seclusion

B. high seas robbery

C. the mineral known as fool's gold

4. A scorpion is:

A. one of the signs of the Zodiac

B. an intensely hot day

C. a venomous arachnid

5. Another word for empower is:

A. enable

B. rewire

C. pulverize

6. Another word for shortfall is:

A. deficit

B. stumble

C. avalanche

7. What is another word for confess?

A. alter

B. admit

C. discuss

8. What does insight refer to?

A. clear and immediate understanding

B. a condition of the eye resulting from extended staring at a screen

C. slow-wittedness

9. A cowlick refers to:

A. a bovine tongue

B. a lock of hair that sticks up

C. a lack of bravery

10. If something thawed, it:

A. landed hard

B. possessed a fault or defect

C. was warmed up


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Fifth Grade

1. What do you do with a carriage?

A. ride in it

B. follow its instructions carefully

C. plant it in the ground

2. A bassoon is:

D. a woodwind instrument

E. a wooden device used to determine direction of the wind

F. any of various large African and Asiatic primates

3. A podium is a type of:

D. platform

E. foot

F. mammal

4. Stubble is:

D. a painting technique

E. a trip in walking or running

F. a short growth of beard

5. Another word for awash is:

D. overflowing

E. bathing

F. smooth

6. A person described as introverted is:

A. habitually loud

B. a skilled linguist or persuasive orator C. preoccupied with his or her own thoughts and feelings 7. What does it mean to quaver?

D. to hang about

E. to stall for time

F. to utter uncertain sounds

8. If something is enviable, it is:

D. for sale

E. highly desirable

F. venomous but harmless to humans

9. A trifle:

D. is made of chocolate, butter and sugar

E. shuffles about slowly

F. isn't worth a lot

10. What is a characteristic of a gorgon?

D. snakes for hair

E. gemstones for fingernails

F. a crisp doughy crust


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Fifth Grade Answer Key

1. What do you do with a carriage?

A. ride in it

F. follow its instructions carefully

G. plant it in the ground

2. A bassoon is:

A. a woodwind instrument

B. a wooden device used to determine direction of the wind

C. any of various large African and Asiatic primates

3. A podium is a type of:

A. platform

B. foot

C. mammal

4. Stubble is:

G. a painting technique

H. a trip in walking or running

C. a short growth of beard

5. Another word for awash is:

A. overflowing

B. bathing

C. smooth

6. A person described as introverted is:

D. habitually loud

E. a skilled linguist or persuasive orator

C. preoccupied with his or her own thoughts and feelings

7. What does it mean to quaver?

G. to hang about

H. to stall for time

C. to utter uncertain sounds

8. If something is enviable, it is:

G. for sale

B. highly desirable

C. venomous but harmless to humans

9. A trifle:

G. is made of chocolate, butter and sugar

H. shuffles about slowly

C. isn't worth a lot

10. What is a characteristic of a gorgon?

A. snakes for hair

B. gemstones for fingernails

C. a crisp doughy crust


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Sixth Grade

1. Something in disarray is:

A. harmless

B. disordered

C. in need of help

2. A person described as vivacious is:

A. lively

B. politically powerful

C. graceful

3. An ailment is:

A. a brewed beverage

B. a breath freshener

C. a chronic disease

4. A bulwark is:

A. a distasteful or undesirable chore

B. a powerful means of defense

C. an elementary particle

5. Duplicity is:

A. a two-family house

B. a type of deception

C. a double paned window

6. What is freight?

A. cargo

B. intense fear

C. rapid movement

7. What is a lanai?

A. a Persian rug

B. a painted vase

C. an outdoor living room

8. A mugwump is:

A. a facial injury from a fight

B. a person who does not practice magic

C. a group leader

9. A pontiff is a:

A. chief religious figure

B. person who files a lawsuit

C. German hunting dog

10. A bolide is a meteor or meteorite that:

A. contains water

B. explodes

C. has been on earth for hundreds of years


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Sixth Grade Answer Key

1. Something in disarray is:

A. harmless

B. disordered

C. in need of help

2. A person described as vivacious is:

A. lively

B. politically powerful

C. graceful

3. An ailment is:

A. a brewed beverage

B. a breath freshener

C. a chronic disease

4. A bulwark is:

A. a distasteful or undesirable chore

B. a powerful means of defense

C. an elementary particle

5. Duplicity is:

A. a two-family house

B. a type of deception

C. a double paned window

6. What is freight?

A. cargo

B. intense fear

C. rapid movement

7. What is a lanai?

A. a Persian rug

B. a painted vase

C. an outdoor living room

8. A mugwump is:

A. a facial injury from a fight

B. a person who does not practice magic C. a group leader

9. A pontiff is a:

A. chief religious figure

B. person who files a lawsuit

C. German hunting dog

10. A bolide is a meteor or meteorite that:

A. contains water

B. explodes

C. has been on earth for hundreds of years


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Seventh Grade

1. Another word for divvy is:

A. distribute

B. decommission

C. understand

2. What is another word for bountiful?

A. abundant

B. rubbery

C. eventual

3. What does it mean to insinuate something?

A. to arrange it carefully

B. to destroy it with fire

C. to hint at it

4. What does it mean to wheedle?

A. to burrow underground to form a den B. to gain by using flattery

C. to select, separate or sift

5. What does it mean to grouse?

A. to complain

B. to drudge

C. to salvage

6. If something is vitriolic, it is:

A. part of the wine-making process

B. caustic and biting

C. determined and stubborn

7. Stridency is:

A. long-lasting flavoring

B. the state of loudly commanding notice C. the distance measured by a long step 8. If you lambasted someone, you:

A. gave them a verbal thrashing

B. shoved them out of the way

C. sheared their hair

9. What is another word for panache?

A. cure-all

B. ginseng

C. swagger

10. Verdure is:

A. fresh green vegetation

B. the action of undergoing hardship without faltering C. sprightliness


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Seventh Grade Answer Key

1. Another word for divvy is:

A. distribute

B. decommission

C. understand

2. What is another word for bountiful?

A. abundant

B. rubbery

C. eventual

3. What does it mean to insinuate something? A. to arrange it carefully

B. to destroy it with fire

C. to hint at it

4. What does it mean to wheedle?

A. to burrow underground to form a den B. to gain by using flattery

C. to select, separate or sift

5. What does it mean to grouse?

A. to complain

I. to drudge

J. to salvage

6. If something is vitriolic, it is:

A. part of the wine-making process

B. caustic and biting

C. determined and stubborn

7. Stridency is:

A. long-lasting flavoring

B. the state of loudly commanding notice

C. the distance measured by a long step

8. If you lambasted someone, you:

A. gave them a verbal thrashing

B. shoved them out of the way

C. sheared their hair

9. What is another word for panache?

A. cure-all

B. ginseng

C. swagger

10. Verdure is:

A. fresh green vegetation

B. the action of undergoing hardship without faltering

C. sprightliness


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Eighth Grade

1. A carcinogen:

A. is a container for eggs

B. can cause cancerous growth

C. is a Spanish prison

2. What does it mean to prognosticate?

A. diagnose

B. arrange

C. foretell

3. Something described as abstruse is:

A. playful

B. an angle exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees C. difficult to understand

4. Another way to say cumbersome is:

A. unwieldy

B. grandiose

C. accidental

5. A person indulging in histrionics is:

A. a fan of archeology

B. acting stagy to produce a response from others

C. drawing pleasure from participating in a normally restricted habit

6. What does it mean to recoup?

A. reaffirm a life philosophy

B. place chickens back in their pen

C. compensate for losses

7. What is an armistice?

A. the entirety of a nation's military power

B. a temporary suspension of hostilities C. a judge presiding over a common- law court 8. A laureate has:

A. an award for outstanding achievement

B. flowers in a series of three

C. a residence near the St. Lawrence river 9. What does ostracism refer to?

A. deliberate avoidance of conditions as they exist

B. cultivation of oysters in prepared beds C. exclusion from social acceptance

10. A vestigial organ is one that:

A. remains from an earlier stage of development B. regulates body temperature

C. controls nerve input to the brain


Scripps National Spelling Bee Vocabulary Test Eighth Grade Answer Key

1. A carcinogen:

A. is a container for eggs

B. can cause cancerous growth

C. is a Spanish prison

2. What does it mean to prognosticate?

A. diagnose

B. arrange

C. foretell

3. Something described as abstruse is:

A. playful

B. an angle exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees C. difficult to understand

4. Another way to say cumbersome is:

A. unwieldy

B. grandiose

C. accidental

5. A person indulging in histrionics is:

A. a fan of archeology

B. acting stagy to produce a response from others

C. drawing pleasure from participating in a normally restricted habit

6. What does it mean to recoup?

A. reaffirm a life philosophy

B. place chickens back in their pen

C. compensate for losses

7. What is an armistice?

A. the entirety of a nation's military power B. a temporary suspension of

hostilities C. a judge presiding over a common-

law court 8. A laureate has:

A. an award for outstanding achievement

B. flowers in a series of three

C. a residence near the St. Lawrence river 9. What does ostracism refer to?

A. deliberate avoidance of conditions as they exist B. cultivation of oysters in prepared beds C. exclusion from social acceptance

10. A vestigial organ is one that:

A. remains from an earlier stage of development

B. regulates body temperature

C. controls nerve input to the brain

contents€¦ · • begin grade 1 classroom spelling bees with word 1 (page 10), • begin grade 2...

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