Word lists for Spelling Bee Contest

Word

Definition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

Eye

Eye is the organ that gives sight in humans and animals.

His eyes are brown.

noun

Old English

           Bee

Bee is an insect.

It’s a bee flying here.

noun

Old English

Like

Enjoy or agree with something.

Sarah doesn’t like John.

verb

Old English

Fire

Flames or something that is burning.

The flat took fire.

noun

Old English

Help

Provide aid or assistance, or to improve a situation.

Help me please! Help

verb

Old English

Red

Red is the color.

She’s wearing red dress.

adjective

Old Norse

Why

Why is defined as for what purpose, cause or reason.

Why did you do that?

adverb

Old Saxon

Bright

Bright is shining and full of light.

The room is very bright.

adjective

Proto-Germanic

Joke

A funny anecdote.

He enjoyed the joke.

adjective

Latin

Alone

Apart from anything or anyone else.

Leave me alone!

     adjective

Old English

Tooth

A tooth is the hard, small, white parts with what you eat food.

I broke my tooth yesterday evening.

        noun

Old English

       Read

Read is to use eyes or fingers to figure out what letters or other symbols mean.

Have you read Alice in Wonderland ?

verb

Old English

Again

Again means something that is repeated.

Write it again.

adverb

Old English

Water

Water is something wet that you drink

Smith is drinking ice-cold water.

noun

Old English

Eight

Eight is a number comes after seven

I would play all the time at the age of 8

noun

Old English

Give

Give is to hand something 

We gave him something special.

        verb

Old English

Yellow

Yellow is the color between orange and green. 

Pass me please the yellow lemon. 

     adjective

Old English

Hard

Difficult to do.

It’s hard to prepare  for the exam

adjective

Old English

Scare

Scare means to frighten.

Ghost doesn’t scare me at all.

adjective

Old Norse

Player

A person who plays a game.

At each level the Player has only one attempt.

noun

Old English

Think

To have an idea or belief about something.

What do you think of it?

verb

Old English

Street

Street is defined as a road or paved passageway to get from one place to another

Excuse me, how can I get to the Wall Street?

noun

Old English

Cute

It’s something pretty or attractive

How cute is she!

adjective

American English

Close

shut off or make something not be open anymore. 

Close the door quickly!

verb

Old French

Word

Definition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

guitar

a musical instrument, usually made of wood,

       This guitar is costly

noun

French

equal

the same in amount, number, or size

He believes that all children are born with equal intelligence.

adjective

Latin

cheer

to give a loud shout of approval or encouragement

Everyone cheered as the winners received their medals.

verb

Old French

mountain

a raised part of the earth's surface, much larger than a hill, the top of which might be covered in snow

We're going to the mountains for our holiday

noun

Old French

alive

living, not dead

Fortunately, she’s alive

adjective

Old English

sharp

having a thin edge

a knife with a sharp edge is there

adjective

Old English

camera

a device for taking photographs

I forgot to take my camera with me

       noun

Latin

remind

to make someone think of something they have forgotten or might have forgotten

Could you remind Paul about dinner on Saturday?

verb

Latin

explain

to make something clear or easy to understand by describing or giving information about it

The teacher explained the rules to the children.

verb

Latin

middle

the central point, position, or part

He was standing in the middle of the road.

      noun

Old English

choose

to decide what you want from two or more things

Danny, come here and choose your ice cream.

verb

Old English

    neighbor

someone who lives near you

Elie is my next-door neighbor.

noun

West Saxon

continue

o keep happening, existing, or doing something

If she continues drinking like that, I'll have to carry her home.

verb

Old French

decide

to choose something, especially after thinking carefully about several possibilities

They have to decide by next Friday.

verb

Old French

curly

having curls or a curved shape

He has blond, curly hair.

adjective

American English

probably

used to mean that something is very likely

He probably didn't even notice.

adverb

Old English

straight

continuing in one direction without bending or curving

Go straight along this road and turn left at the traffic lights.

adverb

Old English

laughter

the act or sound of laughing

Don’t laughter at me!

verb

Old Norse

wheelchair

a chair on wheels that people who are unable to walk use for moving around

He spent the last ten years of his life in a wheelchair

noun

English

discover

to find information, a place, or an object, especially for the first time

Who discovered America?

verb

Latin

stomach

an organ in the body where food is digested

She has a very delicate stomach and doesn't eat spicy food.

noun

Latin

pause

a short period in which something such as a sound or an activity is stopped before starting again

After a brief pause , it stopped momentarily on another tree.

noun

Old French

scissors

a device used for cutting materials such as paper, cloth, and hair

Do you have any nail scissors?

noun

Old French

successful

achieving the results wanted or hoped for

He is the successful person 

noun

English

Word

Definition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

Recommend

|ˌrekəˈmend|

to advise someone to do something

I can recommend the chicken in mushroom sauce - it's delicious.

verb

Latin

graceful

characterized by elegance or beauty of form, manner, movement, or speech; elegant

She is a wonderfully graceful dancer.

adjective

Old French

pioneer

a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area.

She has been a pioneer in the field of eco-tourism.

noun

Old French

Cognitive

relating to or involving the processes of thinking and reasoning

Some of her cognitive functions have been impaired.

adjective

Latin

receive

to get or be given something

Did you receive my letter?

verb

Old North French

government

the group of people who officially control a country

An agency of the federal government.

noun

Old French

various

several and different

We enjoy eating in various types of restaurants.

adjective

Middle French

dialogue

conversation that is written for a book, play, or film

The play contained some very snappy/witty dialogue.

noun

Greek

Schedule

амер. |ˈskedʒuːl|  брит.  |ˈʃɛdjuːl|  

a series of things to be done or of events to occur at or during a particular time or period

He always has a full schedule.

noun

Latin

language

the system of communication used by a particular community or country.

The book was translated into twenty-five languages

noun

Anglo-French

capricious

likely to change, or reacting to a sudden desire or new idea

We have had very capricious weather lately.

adjective

French

Current

амер. |ˈkɜːrənt|

брит.  |ˈkʌr(ə)nt|

passing in time; belonging to the time actually passing:

The word is no longer in current use.

adjective

Latin/ Middle English

necessary

needed in order to achieve a particular result:

He lacks the necessary skills for the job.

adjective

Latin

weight

a unit of heaviness or mass

The pound is a common weight in English-speaking countries

noun

Old English

  quietly

without making much noise:

She had some music playing quietly in the background.

adverb

Latin

  Courage

амер.  |ˈkɜːrɪdʒ|

брит.  |ˈkʌrɪdʒ|  

the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation

People should have the courage to stand up for their beliefs.

noun

Old French

Constitution

амер.|ˌkɑːnstəˈtuːʃn|

брит.  |kɒnstɪˈtjuːʃ(ə)n|

the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation, state, corporation, or the like, is governed.

That is a fundamental principle of our constitution ..

noun

Anglo-French

business

an occupation, profession, or trade:

Our firm does a lot of business with overseas customers.

noun

Old English

Slippery

If something is slippery, it is wet or smooth so that it slides easily or causes something to slide

The road was wet and slippery

adjective

Latin

Placid

амер.  |ˈplæsɪd|

  брит.  |ˈplasɪd|

having a calm appearance or characteristics

She was a very placid child who slept all night and hardly ever cried.

adjective

French

Dessert

|dɪˈzɜːrt|

sweet food eaten at the end of a meal:

Would you like peaches and cream for dessert?

noun

French

Abandon

to leave a place, thing, or person, usually for ever

We had to abandon the car.

Verb 

Germanic 

Receipt

|rɪˈsiːt|

something such as a piece of paper or message proving that money, goods, or information have been received

Make sure you are given a receipt for everything you buy.

noun

Anglo-French

Preserve

|prɪˈzɜːrv|

to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from decaying or being damaged or destroyed:

We want to preserve our environment

verb

Latin

conscious

to notice that a particular thing or person exists or is present

My tooth doesn't exactly hurt, but I'm conscious of it  all the time.

adjective

Latin

outrage

a feeling of anger and shock

Be free from outrage and pain

noun

Old French

scratch

to cut or damage a surface or your skin slightly with 

Be careful not to scratch yourself on the roses.

verb

English

island

a piece of land completely surrounded by water:

They live on the large Japanese island of Hokkaido.

noun

Old English

Whistling

|ˈwɪsəlɪŋ|

high-pitched sound by forcing breath through a small hole between one's lips or teeth.

The birds were whistling in the early morning quiet.

noun

Old English

Word

Definition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

Mortgage

|ˈmɔːrɡɪdʒ|

Money that you borrow to buy a home

This new mortgage doesn't pay for itself.

Noun 

Middle English

Assault 

|əˈsɔːlt|

A violent attack

She was injured in a brutal assault.

Noun 

Medieval Latin

Obedient 

|əˈbiːdiənt|

Willing to do what you are told to do

An obedient child.

Adjective 

Latin

Catastrophe

|kəˈtæstrəfi|

An extremely bad event that causes a lot of suffering or destruction

The fire was a catastrophe to everyone.

Noun 

Greek

Confiscate

|ˈkɑːnfɪskeɪt|

to take something away from someone, especially as a punishment

The border guards confiscated our movie cameras.

Verb 

Latin

Enrichment

the act or process of improving the quality or power of something by adding something else

The soil needs constant enrichment with organic matter.

noun

Old French

Overwhelm

Have a strong emotional effect on.

I was overwhelmed with guilt

verb

English

Unbearable

  |ʌnˈberəbl|

too painful or unpleasant for you to continue to experience

The atmosphere at work at the moment is almost unbearable.

adjective

Old English

Postpone

амер.  |poʊˈspoʊn|

брит.  |pəʊs(t)ˈpəʊn|

to delay an event and plan or decide that it should happen at a later date or time

They decided to postpone their holiday until next year.

adjective

Latin

Colonel 

амер.  |ˈkɜːrnl|  брит.  |ˈkəːn(ə)l|

an officer of high rank in the army or air force

Colonel ordered the command to halt.

Noun  

Italian

Palatable 

|ˈpælətəbl|

acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory

Perhaps this will make it more palatable.

Adjective 

Latin

Cardsharp 

a person who earns money by playing cards dishonestly

He looked like a cardsharp.

Noun  

American English

Blithe

satisfied and without worry

I am upset by the author’s blithe indifference toward facts.

verb

Old English

Alleviate

|əˈliːvieɪt|

to make pain or problems less severe

The medicine did nothing to alleviate her discomfort.

verb

Latin

Daffodil

a yellow, bell-shaped flower with a long stem that is commonly seen in the spring

Daffodil - flowers that bloom in the spring.

Noun 

Latin

Ultimately

|ˈʌltɪmətli|

finally; in the end

Our plans ultimately depend on the weather.

adverb

German

Ambassador

|æmˈbæsədər|

an important official who works in a foreign country representing his or her own country there, and who is officially accepted in this position by that country

He handed copies of the cables to the ambassador.

Noun 

Latin

Pollution

damage caused to water, air, etc. by harmful substances or waste

Car exhaust is the main reason for the city's pollution.

noun

Latin

Esoteric

|ˌesəˈterɪk|

very unusual and understood

He has an esoteric collection of old toys and games.

adjective

Latin

Psychology 

the scientific study of how the mind works and how it influences behavior

She took a course in abnormal psychology.

adjective

Modern Latin

scattered

covering a wide area

Toys and books were scattered about/around the room.

adjective

Greek

reluctantly

in a way that shows that you are not willing to do something and are therefore slow to do it

Reluctantly, he did what I asked.

adverb

Spanish

Substitute

to use something or someone instead of another thing or person

You can substitute oil for butter in this recipe.

verb

Latin

Consequently

|ˈkɑːnsəkwentli|

as a result; therefore

I was very worried, and consequently I couldn’t concentrate.

verb

Old French

Abrogate

|ˈæbrəɡeɪt|       

to end a law, agreement, or custom formally

The treaty was abrogated in 1929.

verb

Latin

Furthermore

|ˌfɜːrðərˈmɔːr|

used to add information

I don’t know what happened to Roberto, and furthermore, I don’t care.

adverb

Middle English

Word

Defenition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

1. myriad 

consisting of a very great number

New York City presented us with myriad possibilities for fun

adjective

Middle French

2.davenport

A large sofa, often one convertible into a bed 

5 minutes later, wearing a dress shirt and dress jeans, davenport appears

noun

Captain

3.liguistics

The science of language , including phonetics, phonology. syntax and ect.

It has linguistic interest, in fact, been well- nigh universal.

adjective

Old English

4.restitution

The act of giving back something that has been lost or stolen 

He was ordered to pay 6 000$ in restitution.

noun

Middle English

5.irreverent

|ɪˈrevərənt|

Showing a lack of respect for people.

She is irreverent  about the whole business of politics.

adjective

Latin

6.perspicacity

|ˌpɜːrspɪˈkæsəti|

The quality of having a ready insight into things.

The perspicacity of her remarks.

noun

Latin

7.traitorous

|ˈtreɪtərəs|

Relating to or characteristic of a traitor.

When his traitorous action were discovered, he was imprisoned.

adjective

Middle English

8.picturesque

Visually attractive, especially in a quaint way. 

Ruined abbeys and picturesque villages.

adjective

French

9.babblative

Someone who talks a lot

Professors of the arts are babblative.

adjective

Old English

10.empathy

understanding and entering into another's feelings

I consider myself as an empathy as I can feel your pain.

adjective

11. watercress

|ˈwɔːtərkres

a Eurasian cress which grows in running water and whose pungent leaves are used in salad.

We also do a similar dish at Landmarc that I serve with watercress and lemon.

noun

Old English

12.exigencies

|ˈeksɪdʒənsɪz|

An urgent need or demand.

women worked long hours when the exigencies of the family economy demanded it

noun

Old English

13. mesmerize

      Mesmerize

|ˈmezməraɪz|

 to have someone's attention completely so that they cannot think of anything else 

Diana mesmerize me by her beauty.

verb

English

14.incriminate

to make someone seemguilty, especially of a crime

He refused to say anything on the grounds that he might incriminate himself.

verb

Latin

15.seersucker

 a light cloth that has a pattern of raised and flat strips on it 

Look at this colorful seersucker summer jacket

noun

Indian

16. occasionally

|əˈkeɪʒnəli|       

Not often or regularly

I occasionally watch TV.

adverb

17. impeccable

Without fault or error 

She was always impeccably dressed.

adjective

French

18.accommodation

a room, group of rooms, or building in which someone may live or stay.

There's a shortage of

cheap

accommodation 

noun

British

19. eloquent

|ˈeləkwənt|

expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively

An eloquent speaker expresses herself clearly and powerfully.

adjective

Old French

20.ingenuous

|ɪnˈdʒenjuəs|

honest, sincere, and trusting, sometimes in a way that seems silly

It has to be said it was rather ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger to take care of his luggage.

adjective

Latin

Word

Defenition

Example

Part of speech

Origin

Independent

|ˌɪndɪˈpendənt|

Thinking or acting for oneself

I tend to be an independent 

adjective

Italian

Conciliatory

|kənˈsɪliətɔːri|

Tending to conciliate

When you are conciliatory in your action?

adjective

Old English

chimichanga

A tortilla wrapped round a filling, typically of meat, and deep-fried

Today mom cooked for dinner Mexican dish - Chimichanga

noun

Mexican Spanish

prescription

a piece of paper that the doctor that the doctor gives you

The doctor gave me prescription

noun

French

demonstration

When a group of people

stand or walk somewhere to show that they disagree with or support something

30 000 people took part in today’s demonstration.

noun

French

backwardation

A situation in which the spot or cash price of a commodity is higher than the forward price.

Silver has been in backwardation for the past five weeks

noun

Old English

Cardiologist

|ˌkɑːrdiˈɑːlədʒɪst|

a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the heart

How are cardiologists trained?

noun

Greek