howdy,

word nerds!
about this study guide
Do you dream of winning a school spelling bee, or even attending the
Scripps National Spelling Bee National Competition? Words of the
Champions is the o!cial study resource of the Scripps National Spelling
Bee, so you’ve found the perfect place to start. Prepare for a 2023 or
2024 classroom, grade-level, school, district, county, regional or state
spelling bee with this list of 4,000 words.

All words in this book have been selected by the Scripps National
Spelling Bee from our o!cial dictionary, Merriam-Webster Unabridged
(http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com).

Words of the Champions is divided into three di!culty levels, ranked One
Bee, Two Bee and Three Bee. These are great words to challenge you,
whether you’re just getting started in spelling bees or if you’ve already
participated in several. At the beginning of each level, you’ll find the School
Spelling Bee Study List words. For any classroom, grade-level or school
spelling bee, study the 150-word One Bee School Spelling Bee Study List, the 150-word Two Bee School
Spelling Bee Study List and the 150-word Three Bee School Spelling Bee Study List: a total of 450 words.

Following the School Spelling Bee Study List in each level, you’ll find pages marked “Words of the
Champions.” Are you a school spelling bee champion or a speller advancing to compete beyond the school
level? Study these pages to make sure you’re prepared to do your best when these words are asked in the
early rounds of competition. And remember, although spelling bees will start with words from this guide,
they often end with words you haven’t studied.

New this year, at the end of this study resource you’ll find games, puzzles and themed lists to help you
engage with the words in new ways. Enjoy!

Each year, the Scripps National Spelling Bee will release a new version of Words of the Champions
featuring 800 new words, including an all-new School Spelling Bee Study List.

Your spelling bee journey starts now, and taking the first step toward becoming a star athlete of the
English language makes you a Champion. These Words are for you.

about the Scripps National Spelling Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational program. By
inspiring the exploration of words, the Scripps National Spelling Bee illuminates pathways to lifelong
curiosity, celebrates academic achievement and enriches communities. Visit spellingbee.com for more
information about the Bee and to check if your school is enrolled. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is
administered on a not-for-profit basis by The E.W. Scripps Company.

2
table of
contents
word lists
One Bee School Spelling Bee Study List page 04
One Bee Words of the Champions page 06

Two Bee School Spelling Bee Study List page 14

Two Bee Words of the Champions page 16

Three Bee School Spelling Bee Study List page 30

Three Bee Words of the Champions page 32

Words that are new this year page 40

vocab
vocabulary: One Bee, A-Z page 44
vocabulary: Two Bee, A-Z page 46
vocabulary: Three Bee, A-Z page 47

fun
Themed lists page 50
Games page 53
Puzzles page 56

3
di!culty level: one bee
school spelling bee study list
The first, second and third-grade words from the 2024 School Spelling Bee Study List.

sky heap bedroom

wow ladder branch
verb - to put one’s
hug arms around and tug letter
press tightly.
snap spoon spring
tape spark dance
sips later front
hard hair roast
why open brave
first this bright
tide his scream
bow May river
back grid bride
find wag stall
name near point
oops zip wedding
more rug little
toss dots doctor
chin pat peel
park pole snack
bike snake notebook noun - the portion of
the central nervous
nest mound brain system in vertebrates
that makes up the
rude smaller pride organ of thought.
deal grand dear
store gross live
roads wish tubes
cool stove cloth
wake join gazed
vase state mile
tune enter float
coat blank snail
four give second
block other drew

11
in good company
When it comes to spelling bee participants, the more the merrier! In fact,
more than 11 million spellers participate each year in qualifying spelling
million bees throughout the country and around the world.

4
stood corner
nagged barely
scan able
glue present
ground clearly
shower really
endless overcome
plunger sketch
fireworks evening
dazzle again
climb finally
April thumbs
subway glittery
broken together
stew while
shall mother
flowers worth
angry solve
create credit
drooped steel
cluttered pour
bursting anybody
verb – to speak softly,
edge whisper especially with the aim
of preserving secrecy.
glasses Thursday
gently music
crown wears
shutters thoughts

Great Words, Great Works Reading Program

Each year, the Scripps National Spelling Bee publishes our School
Spelling Bee Study List to help students prepare for classroom and
school-level spelling bees. These words come from Great Words, Great
Works, a list of books carefully selected by the Bee’s editorial team.
Find it at spellingbee.com/book-list.

5
di!culty level: one bee
Words of the Champions
Organized alphabetically, these words are a great place to start your journey to mastering Words of the Champions!
Words with a single asterisk (*) indicate a primarily British spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are the preferred
spelling. A complete list of the words that were added to this year’s study list can be found on page 40.

A amnesty baili!
abaft amulet ballad
abandon amusement banana
abashed ancho banquet
abject anime baptismal
aboriginal animus barbie
acceptance anklet bask
acclaim anniversary become
accolade annotate Bengal
accomplice anoint bias
acquit ante birdie
acrostic anthropology biscuit
adage anyway bizarro
addendum apology blandish
addition apparel blarney
addle applicable bleary
adhesion appraisal bleat
adjective apprehensive blemish
adjudicate arithmetic blink
admonition armadillo blizzard
adnate astonish blooper
adsum astounding blurb
advection atomic boarders
adversaria atonement boogie-woogie
a!ront attendee bootless
noun – the
aforesaid attitude botany science of plants.
afroth auction bother
agility auditorium bountiful
agitation avalanche bowie
algae avatar breathtaking
alienate noun – a South avenue brethren
American mammal
alpaca that resembles a aviation brick
alpha llama. awry bristle
altercation brochure
amass B broil
Americana bachelorette bubbly
amiably backgammon bu!et
Amish badger bu!oonery
6
bumblebee chortle conundrum
bungee chowder convention
burial churlish convocation
buzzworthy chute** convoy
OR shute cooperate
C cidery copperhead
cabbage cinderella corgi
cactus cinematic corkscrew
cadence citation cornily
calculator clarinet cranium
calendar classical criminal
camcorder clearance criteria
candid cleave crocodile
canoe clover crumpet
canteen clowder crux
cantor coach curator
capacity coalition curfew
capitalist cockles curio
captivated collie cushion
caramel collision cyclone
carnation combustible cymbals
carnival comedienne
carriage commandeer D
carrot comparison daft
cashier compass daisy
casino compatriots daresay
casserole compelling dawdle
casualty complementary debris
caterpillar comportment debunk
cathedral composite noun – an edible
decor
catnap conch marine mollusk with definitely
a large spiral shell.
celebratory concrete delta
celery condemn derby
celestial condensation designer
cello condiments dialect
cement conference dicey
census consideration dictum
centipede contraction di!cult
charioteer contradictory digression
charitable contrite dillydally
chastise contusion disaster

cruising the airwaves

The first broadcast of the Bee wasn’t on television – it was on radio!
It wasn’t until 1946 that it was first televised.

7
disposition emancipatory fallacy
disrepair embassy fanatic
distinctive embezzlement fashionista
diva emblazoned feeble
diverge emerald fellowship
diversion empty felonious
diversity encore ferret
divine encroach fervently
divvy endearing fez
docket endure fido
noun – a small
documentary dotted slab enervate fie
domino that together engineer filar
with other such
donatee slabs is used to entreat filbert
play a game.
downcast entrée financier
dragoon entrepreneur fission
dramatization enumerated fisticu!s
dreadlocks enviable flabbergast
dribbles epoxy flashback
drivel erode flattery
Dudley eruption fleeciness
dumbwaiter escalator fleetness
duress escapade flexitarian
dynamite essential flight
noun – a small
establishment flimflammer animal with
broad flat limbs
E evaluate flipperling adapted for
eagerly evaporation floridly swimming (as a
baby seal).
earmark ewe flounder
earnestly exaggerate flourish
eclipse excursion flout
editorial exemplar fluctuation
eerily exercise fluid
e!ortless existence flummery
Egyptian explode foible
eighth extensive folate
Einstein extinct folly
elaborative extinguish fomentation
elasticity extracurricular foosball
elegant extradition foothills
element extraordinaire foozle
elevator exude foppery
elicitation forensics
eligibility F forfeit
ellipse fabulist forgeable
elocution facade formalize
elucidate factorial OR formalise*
adjective –
elusive hard to catch. fadeaway fortification

8
frailty graphologist howler
freckle grapple hurriedly
noun – one of the
freegan gridiron husk leaves enveloping
an ear of corn.
freight grie!ul hydra
fribble groom hydrant
frisket gruel
frock guess I
frontier gymnastics iceberg
verb – to
frugal ignite set on fire.
fundamental H inclusion
funnel habitual income
furnace haggle infiltrate
futility hamlet infirm
handle inflammable
G handyman influential
gab hangar inglorious
ga!er haphazard insomnia
gaggle hardtack installation
gallant harmonious intellectual
galley harrowing intensify
gardenesque hatchet intertidal
gargle hazelnut intricate
garniture headlong irrigation
gaucho heavenly irritability
gazette heiress island
genius heist isms
genteel hermitage isolation
ghastly hexagonal
verb – to
giggle laugh in a silly Highlands J
manner.
gist hijab jammer
gizzard hoagies jankers noun – a soft
knitted fabric
glitterati hoax jersey used for making
clothing, especially
gnarled hobble jitterbug sportswear.
Godspeed hollyhock joinery
goober homage junior
gossip homesteader
gotcha homicide K
gouge honeybee kazoo
graham horseradish kennel
grandeur hostile kenning

why is it so hard to spell English words?

English consists of originally English words, but it also collected words from other languages and
made them part of the English lexicon. With 26 letters and about 44 letter sounds, English is
a hodgepodge of letters and sounds that don’t always line up. Take the letter ‘x,’ for example,
found in the words “extra,” “mix,” and “example,” or the vowel sound in “weigh” and “way”!

9
kernel manacle monopolize
kilt mandate OR monopolise*
kindred manta montage
kiwi mantra moped
knight marathon adjective – of morose
or relating to
knoll maritime navigation or mosaic
commerce on
kodak marooned the sea. mummified
noun – praise
kudos given for some martial munchkin
achievement.
masti! musings
L maternity mutter
labradoodle matrimony
lactose mauve N
languish maverick nationalism
lapel maximum neaten
lateral mayhem necessity
lawyer measly neigh
league medallion nerfing
leaven melody nervily
leeway melted newbie
legacy membership nocturnal
legislature memes nominee
legitimately memorandum nonconformist
leisure menial nozzles plural noun –
small usually
lettuce merchandise nuggets round-shaped
pieces of food.
lexicon merely
liege Merlin O
ligament meteor obliterate
likelier metrical oblong adjective –
having a
noun – the center
limelight of public attention. Michigander obscure shape that
is elongated
linguistics millionaire occupancy beyond a
square or circle.
literally mince olympiad
livid minutia omega
lucky miraculous omission
lumbar mischief onion
luminance misconception optician
lupine missile optimum
missive opulent
M mister oracle
macaw mockery orchestra
macrobiotics modality ordinance
madrigal modem organelle
magician modify ounce
mahogany modular ouster
maidenhair mogul overtures
maize molasses overweening
mambo molecule owlishly
ozone
10
P praise recanted
pageantry precursor reconsider
paginate predicament recovery
paisley premonition recruit
palatial primitive redemption
pallor principality reflect
pantheon prism regiment
parkour procedure registrar
parley noun – a medium- procrastinate rehearsal
sized, short-winged
partridge game bird with profiteer reign
short legs and neck.
passage prominent reiterate
pastime prone rejuvenate
pathogen proposal remorseful
patience propulsion renewable
patrician prosperous replete
pauper proxy residue
pear publish respite
adjective – marked
peat puckish restive by fidgety or
uneasy behavior.
peddle pulpit retorts
pedicure punctuation retriever
pedigree pungent revelation
pending punily revulsive
penguin puniness riddance
peninsular purification ri!ra!
peony puritan riviera
performance purse rocket
permafrost putrid row
peruse puzzles rubric
pervasive pyramid rugby
photogenic rumor
physical Q OR rumour*
physicists quantify
pillor quart S
pitiful quaver sacrifice verb – to produce
adjective – full
placards quirky of peculiarities. salivate an excessive
amount of drool.
placate quota sandal
platinum satchel
platoon R scalp
pliant rabid scandal
plummet raisin scanty
portrait rebu! scent

our mission:
By inspiring the exploration of words, the Scripps National
Spelling Bee illuminates pathways to lifelong curiosity, celebrates
academic achievement and enriches communities.

11
scholarship soprano T
science sorbet talent
sci-fi spangled tango
scooter spatula tase
scornfully specificity tawny
scrapple spectral technician
screeno speculate teenagers
scripture spindle tendency
scrooge spiteful terrier
scrounge splurge thawed
scrutiny spreadsheet thespian
scullery sprite thicket
sculpture spry thievery
seclusion squeamish thorn
seize squirm thrift
selfie stagestruck throughout
seller stamina tickled
semester stampede timber
sensory stance toastmaster
September standee toilsome
sequel steampunk transcription
serenade stencil transference
servitude stereotypical traverse
sewage sterling treasury
shaggy sternum treatise
shamrock steroid trendy
shindig stewardship trespass
shipping stomach trifle
shore storm trinkets
simmer stowaway troll
sister strong tropical
situation stubble trounce
skimmed stupefy trove
skirmish substitute truffle
noun – a brass
skydiving su!x truly instrument with
a flared bell and
slab suitable trumpet three buttons
sloop summary truncate pressed to make
di#erent notes.
slovenly sunflower tubers
slurry sunseeker tunnel
snitch surly tutorial
sodden surplus twilight
solicit swannery
solidity sweltering U
solitude sword uncle
solstice sympathy undercroft
solvency system undergird

12
unfazed visibility whey
unfurl vlogging whimsical
university vocabulary whirlybird
uppercut volcano whisk
urgency votive wield
useful noun – wimple
someone who
usher escorts people W wince
to seats at a noun – pompous
gathering. waiver windbaggery meaningless talk.
V wamble wizened
various wand wordmonger
varnish warning wring
varsity wasp
vascular water Y
verb – to talk rapidly,
vassal wattage yammer for a long time, and
often loudly.
vault weald yawl
veered wealthy yeanling
venue weaponry yippee
versatile welding yonder
version welterweight yoo-hoo
noun –
vicinity neighborhood. wharf yore
vindictive wheedle
noun – an instrument that
vinegar whelp Z has a shallow horizontal
soundboard topped with
vineyard whereas zither 30 to 40 strings that are
virtually whet typically plucked by a
performer.

a big-time
Spellebrity
If you’ve watched the Bee before,
you’ve probably seen his face. You’ve
definitely heard his voice. We’re
talking about the head pronouncer
of the Bee, Dr. Jacques Bailly. He won
the Scripps National Spelling Bee in
1980 and took up the role of head
pronouncer in 2003.

13
di!culty level: two bee
school spelling bee study list
The fourth, fifth and sixth-grade words from the 2024 School Spelling Bee Study List. Words with a single asterisk (*)
indicate a primarily British spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are the preferred spelling.

bronze pouch ambush

flea outfits squire
buckeye sewing submerged
sudsy plural noun – horns transform saucer
of animals of the
antlers deer family, typically marble gloaming noun – twilight : dusk.
present only in the
dapper male.
gallon engulf
stroll flitting graduate
cress plaza fascinated
bestie yesterday composition
cereal nighttime wisdom
silence putty ourselves
fury glumly invisible
howdy ignore completely
important improve poisonous
popovers Internet intimidate
thousand pantry drawers
razor hungrily disdain
roughly confident deliberately
drawl vision spacious
oddity diamond forearms
insult stitchery gratitude
valley fiddlehead appreciation
gather hobbit devotion
dessert doughnut inscription
stagecoach OR donut inventory
peaceful precious wheezy
ailment wafting possible
combat occupy replace
rotten Afrobeat crookedly
expressway termite fragrant
practice** insulation fowl
OR practise intertwine responsible
squash recital awfully
amused furniture manual

who knew?
The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational program.

14
thorax bionic
tostones syllables
bunions sultanate noun – a headdress
consisting of a long cloth that
bamboozled turban is wrapped around a cap or
Oman sausage directly around the head.

flummox** disgruntled
OR flummix terrify
OR flummux quip
inscrutable information
serenity incubator
congregation droll
sentinel vultures
Arctic Arabic
fluke Brooklyn
captain sacred
delegation reindeer
verve disclaimer
Vaseline quotation
gastritis superior
platypus privilege
salute fallow
mantel replica
OR mantle provision
amphitheater reference
desecration havens
diode voracious
mischievous

from around the world

Most spellers at the Scripps National Spelling Bee are
from the United States, but spellers also come from Guam,
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Canada,
Ghana and Department of Defense Schools in Europe.

15
di!culty level: two bee
Words of the Champions
Organized alphabetically, these words are a great place to continue your journey to mastering Words of the
Champions! Words with a single asterisk (*) indicate a primarily British spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are
the preferred spelling. A complete list of the words that were added to this year’s study list can be found on page 40.

A a#uent analgesia
aardvark a!ogato anchorage
aberration afghan ancillary
ablation aficionado** anemic**
ablaut OR afficionado OR anaemic
abnegation agalma anent
abominable agate anglophile
abrogate agave anhinga
absolution agelicism anicca
abstemious aggrandizement anionic
academese aglossal anise
Acadians agnail ankh
accentuate agonistic anneal
accrual agoraphobia annuity
noun – garlic
accumulate aioli mayonnaise. annulment
acerbity akimbo anodyne
achromatic albeit anonymity
acoustic alimentation anorak
acquiesce allergenic anserine
acral allocable antacid
acuity allonym antagonistic
acumen alluvial anticipatory
acupuncture alma mater antipathy
adjugate alpestrine antiquarian
adjure althorn antithesis
adolescence amalgam anxiety
adulation ambrosial aperture
advocatory ammonite apiary
aerobics ammunition aporia
a!able amygdala apothecary
a!eer anabolic apotheosis
a!enpinscher anaglyphy apparatus
affianced analects approbatory
affiliate analepsis aqueduct

did you know?

Vocabulary questions were first introduced as part of the Bee on the written test in 2013.
Oral vocabulary questions were given at the National Competition for the first time in 2021.
16
aqueous augment biomimicry
aquiclude auklet bittern
arbitrary aureole blastema
arboretum auricular blastogenesis
archaism aurora blatant
archetype auspices bloviate
arduous austere bodega
argot avarice bodkin
arietta avifauna bo!n
armaments avuncular bona fide
armature bonobo
armistice B bonsai
arpeggio bacteriolytic boomslang
arraign ballyhooed boondoggle
arrearage balsamic borough
art brut bandicoot bouffant adjective –
voluminous.
artesian bango bowsprit
artifice bariatrics braille
asado baronetcy Brandywine
ascension basilica bravado
ascetic bastion breviloquence
Asgard Bavarian cream bric-a-brac
Asiago beatific Brigadoon
aspish beguile Broccolini
assailant Belgravia brockage
assiduous Bellatrix brogue
assumption bellwether bromide
assure beneficent brontophobia
asthmatic benison bruja
astral bereavement bruxism
astringent beret bubonic
astrobleme bermudas bucatini
astronaut beseech buffa
Astur besieged bulgogi
asylum besmirch bulgur**
ataxia bethesda OR bulghur
Aten bibliopegist bulwark
atlatl bicameral bumptious
atrabilious bifurcate Bundt
atresia bilaterian buoyancy
attaché bilbo bureau
attributive billabong burglarious
attrition billiards burgoo
aubergine billingsgate busby
auburn biltong
aughts binomial

17
C cattalo circumflex
cabaret OR catalo civet
cadge caudex cladistics
caducity causal clairvoyance
ca!eine caustic clandestine
caftan cauterize clavichord
OR kaftan cavalcade clemency
calcify cayenne cloture
callow cellophane coalescence
calumet Celsius coaxation
cambio cenotaph codswallop
cameist centenary coercive
campanology cerebellum coeval
cancion cetology cogently
candelabrum chamberlain cogitation
cannoli chancellor cognizant
adjective –
cantankerous grumpy and chaperonage OR cognisant*
argumentative.
capillary charcuterie cohesive
capnometer charismatic cohosh
capstan château coi!ure
capsule chemise colic
carbohydrates Cheshire cat collectanea
carcinogenic chevalier collegiality
cardoon chide colocate
caricature Chihuahua comanchero
carnage chimera comminatory
carnitas OR chimaera* commiserative
carnitine chinook commissioner
cartilage chintzy commodious
Cassandra cholera compendium
cassock cholesterol con forza
castellated chrysalis concision
castigate chrysolite conclave
Castilian chupacabra concordance
castor churchianity conduit
cataclysmic churros Conestoga
catalepsy ciao confabulation
catalina cicada congeniality
catalyst Cincinnati conglutinant
cathect circadian connivery
cathode circuitous consecrate

adjectives vs. nouns

“My word ends with an /us/ sound! How do I know which letters to use?!”
Here’s a hint: Ask for the part of speech. If it’s a noun, try -us; if it’s an adjective, -ous is a safe bet.

18
consequent cyanosis derisive
constabulary cybernetics deserter
consternation cygnet desertification
constituent cynicism desolate
consul desultorily
contemptuous D detritus
continuum dactylic deuterium
contrariwise Dalmatian diacritic
contrivance dandle diadem
contumelious danseur dialysis
Coptic danta Dianthus
cordillera darnel diaspora
corduroy davenport diathermy
coriander deathin diatonic
Corinthian debilitate dietetic
corm debutante dihedral
cornea deceitful dilapidated
cornel deceleron diligence
cornucopia decennial diluent
corollary deciduous dimorphism
coroner decimation dirigible
corpulent declamatory discombobulate
corral declension discomfiture
corrosive declination discountenance
corsage decurion discreetly
cortex defiant discretionary
cozen deglaciation disembogue
credence déjà vu** disjunct
credulity déjà vue Disneyfication
creel delectable disparate
crepuscular deleterious disproportionate
crescive deliquesce dissemble
cribbage deltoidal dissipate
cribble dementia dissonance
cribo demerits distraught
crinoline demographics divestiture
crith demonstrative dodecahedron
cruciferous demulcent dogana
crustaceans denominator doldrums
cryogenic denticulate dolma
cudgel depose dolmen
cum laude depravity domesticity
cumbersome depreciate domiciled
cumulus depredation domineering
curmudgeon deprivation dopamine
cutis derelict Dorking
19
dowager epidermis exodus
dowdy epidural exogenous
adjective – of,
dromic relating to, or in the episcopal exorbitant
form of a racecourse.
druid epithet expatiate
drumlin epitome expectorant
drupiferous epoch expostulate
du jour equilibrium expugnable
duchy equinox expunge
duplicitous equivalent exsect
durango equivocate extant
dysgraphia eradicate noun – any of extemporaneous
several weasels
dyspeptic ermine that have white extrapolate
dystopia errata fur in winter. extravasate
erroneous extrorse
E erstwhile
ebullience erubescent F
ectoplasm eructation facile
eczema escarpment factitious
Edenic eschew facundity
educand espousal fajitas
e!ace estuary farcical
e!ervescent ethanol fardel
efflux étude farina
e!raction eucalyptus farkleberry
e!usive eucrasia Farsi
eggcorn euphonious farthingale
egress europium fatuously
El Niño eustress fealty
embolus Evactor feckless
embryo evacuees fecund
emeritus evanescent feign
eminent evo-devo fenestrated
emissary evzone fenster
emulsify ewer fervorous
en masse ex libris festooned
ensconced exaugural feudalism
ensued excelsior fiat
entente excision fibula
environs execrable fictile
epenthesis exeunt Ficus
epicurean exiguous fiduciary

the first bee

In 1925, the first national spelling bee was organized by the Louisville Courier-Journal with a total

1
#
of nine spellers. Frank Neuhauser won the championship title after correctly spelling “gladiolus.”

20
finial Gallic gubernatorial
fipple galvanize gudgeon
firkin gambit gules
!eld ganache gullibility
flagellum gasiform gumption
flagon gastronome gustatory
flambé gaudery
flaneur gaur H
flavedo gelatinous habeas corpus
flèche Gemini habiliments
flittern genealogical hackneyed
Florentine geniture hagiographer
floribunda genome halibut
floruit gentilitial Halifax
flotsam geocaching hallucinate
FLOTUS geriatric haplography
fluoride germane harangue
focaccia gibbous harbinger
follicle gingivitis harrier
fontina gladiatorial harrumph
forbivorous glareous Hathor
fortissimo glazier hauberk
Franciscan glissando hauteur
fratority globular Hawaiian
fraudulent noun – ice crystals gluttonous hawok
sometimes similar
frazil to slush that gnocchi heinousness
are formed in
freneticism turbulent water. goji berry heleoplankton
Freudian golem heliacal
frison Goliath hennery
noun – a group
frittata goosander heptad of seven people
or things.
froufrou gossamer hermeneutics
froward Gothamite hermetically
fructiferous grande dame herringbone
frugivore grandiloquent heterochromia
fucoid grandrelle heterophony
fugue graticule hetman
adverb – without
fulgent gratis charge : free.
heuristic
fulminate gravimetry hibernaculum
funambulist gravitas hierurgical
fungible greaves hinoki
furcula Gregorian hipsterism
fusiform grissino histrionics
fussbudget groats Hitchcockian
grobian hoity-toity
G grotesqueness holmium
galapago grouse Holocaust

21
hologram incinerate jarl
adjective – having
Holstein incisiform the form of a tooth jaundiced
adapted for cutting.
homeostasis incitive jeepney
homester inclement jettison
homiletics incoherent jicama
hubris incompetent jiggery-pokery
humerus incubate jimberjawed
humidistat indemnity jingoism
hummock indicia jitney
Hungary indict jocularity
adjective –
hydrangea indigent jubilant expressing gladness
or triumphant joy.
hydrocortisone indistinguishable judicious
hydrophobia indolent julienne
hydroponic inducement Jurassic
hypochondria indulgent justiciable
hypogeous ine!able juvenilia
hypotenuse ineluctable juxtapose
hyrax ineptitude
inerrancy K
I ingenuous kaiser
ibex ingratiate kanban
ibuprofen inimical kanji
Icarian injurious karst
idiosyncratic inoculate kerchief
ignominious insignia kinesiology
illative instigate kleptocrat
noun – a long
illicitly insufflator koto Japanese zither
having 13 silk strings.
illustrious interred krausen
immolate interrogative krypton
immortality intersperse kufi
impasto intuitable kugel
impeachable inveterate kung pao
impecunious inviolable
impediment iridescent L
imperious irrevocable labroid
impermeable Isle Royale labyrinthine
impetus laceration
implacable J laconic
implicative jactance lacustrine
impoverish jadeite laity
impresario jalapeño lambasted
impromptu jambalaya lambently

did you know?

The Scripps National Spelling Bee was featured in the 2002 Academy Award-nominated
documentary Spellbound.
22
lambkin luthier millivolt
languorous lutrine minacious
lanolated luxuriate minestra
lantana minette
lapidary M minuscule**
larceny machination OR miniscule
largesses mackerel Miranda
larnax macropterous misnomer
lassitude macular mitigative
latigo malapropism mitochondria
laudatory malevolent mochi
laureate malfeasance modiste
lavender malinger moissanite
legalese mandrill mollify
legato mano a mano monitory
legerity manumit monochrome
lemniscus marimba monture
leviathan marionette moratorium
liaise marring mordant
lidocaine marsupial Moroccan
limned mastodon morphological
limousine matriculation mortician
limpa mawkish Motrin
limpet McCoy movimento
limpid Mecca muchacha
limpkin medusa mulligan
lingua franca megalomaniac Munich
linnet melamine municipal
linstock melee musketeers
lithium melismatic Mylar
lithophone menagerie myocarditis
litmus mendacious myoglobin adjective – lacking
lobotomy noun – a person mendicity myopic in foresight or
who eats foods keenness of insight.
locavore grown nearby meningitis
loch whenever possible. mephitic N
logarithmic merganser Namibian
logographic meridian nanotechnology
lolled merino narcoleptic
longitude mesial nautilus
lorikeet Mesopotamian Neapolitan
lossy metaplasia necrotic
lousicide metastasize nectarine
lovage metatarsal neonatology
luculent MIDI neoterism
ludicrous millennial nepotism
lugubrious millet netiquette
lumen millisecond neuropathy
23
neuroticism octuplicate parameters
Newfoundland odometer paraplegic
nexus o!cinal parasol
nitrate okapi pariah
nocive olfactory parliamentary
noctambulist olingo parochial
no-goodnik ombudsman parodic
noun – divination
nomancy by letters. omnilegent parr
nomenclature omniscient parsimony
nomophobia onus particulate
nonage oompah parturient
nonchalance operose parvo
nonnegotiable opprobrious pashmina
nonvolatile oppugn Patagonia
Norovirus Orion patella
Nostradamus orthogonal pathos
notoriety oscitation patronymic
novemdecillion osculatory paucity
noxious Osloite peacenik
nuance osmosis peculate
nubuck osprey pecuniary
nuciform ossicle pedantry
nucleated ostensibly pelagial
numerology osteopath pelerine
nutation ottoman pelf
nutria oxalis pendragon
nuzzer pendulous
P penitentiary
O pagoda pepita
obfuscate palatable per se
oblique Paleozoic peradventure
obloquy palpebral perceptible
obnebulate palpitant perilous
adjective – related
obsecration panary to breadmaking. periodontist
obsolete pancetta peripheral
obstetrician adjective – pancreas periwinkle
stubborn and
obstreperous defiant often panegyric permutation
with a show of
occipital noisy disorder. pantomime perpetrator
occultation papyrus perquisite
Oceanian par excellence perseverance
octonocular parabola perspicacious

there’s a first time for everything

Hugh Tosteson was the first winner from outside of the 50 U.S. states. He lived in
Puerto Rico and won in 1975.

24
persuasible pollutant profligacy
pertinacity polonium profundity
pestilence poltroon proletarian
petroleum polyester proliferate
phalanges polygenous prolix
phenotype polypeptide prolusory
philosophize polysemy promontory
phishing polysyllabic propinquity
phlebotomy pomato proprietary
phoenix pomegranate proprioceptive
phonetician Pomeranian prorogue
phosphorescent pomology prosody
phraseology pompeii protectorate
phycology pomposity protuberant
phylum pongee provenance
Pierre ponti! proviant
piety populace provincial
pilaster porcelain proviso
pilcrow porosity psychoanalysis
pileus portentous puchero
pilferer portico pugilist
pilosity posada pugnacious
pilotage posse pulchritude
pinnacle possessive purvey
pinnate posterity pyrite
pious posthumous pyrotechnics
pituitary postural
placoderm potassium Q
plagiarism praxis quadriceps
plainti! prehensile quadrilateral
planetesimal prelapsarian quadrillion
plangency preponderance qualms
planisphere preposterous quid pro quo noun – the
ultimate form
planogram preprandial quiddity or the essential
nature of
plantain presentient quinary something.
plantigrade prespinous quince
plaudits prevenient quintessential
plenipotentiary prima donna quirt
plenitude primeval** quittance
plentiful OR primaeval quotidian
Plumeria primogeniture QWERTY
plutonomy princeps
poblano privatim R
podsnappery privet rabato
Podunk probative rabbinic
pointelle procurement rambla
politick prodigious rambunctious
25
 ramifications repository salience
ramson reprieve saltatory
rankles reprisal sapphire
rapscallion Requiem sardonic
raptatorial requisition sarmentum
rasorial resilience sartorial
raucous resplendence sashay
reagent restitutory saturnine
realgar résumé sauger
realm resuscitate scarab
Realtor retinol scarlatina
rebarbative retinoscopy scenographer
reboation retrocedence schism
recipient retrodict schnell
reciprocity retrograde schooner
reconcilable revenant scintillation
reconnoiter** reverberant sclerosis
OR reconnoitre rhapsody scrivener
recreant rhizome scrumptiously
recriminatory rhythmically scumble
recumbent ricochet scuppers
recusancy rictus scythe
redolent rigatoni secant
refrigerant ritziness secession
refugium rollicking sedentary
regalia Romano sedge
reggae rosin sedum
regicide roustabout seethe
regnal verb – to bring, Rubicon senecio
forcefully impel,
regurgitate or pour back out rudiments seneschal
reimbursable again. rugose senna
reminiscent ruminate sensei
remonstrance rustication septennial
remuda sepulchral
remuneration S sequential
renegotiate sabbatical seraphic
renitency sabermetrics serrated
reparations sabotage sesame
repartee sacrament settee
repentant sacrosanct severance
repercussion sailage shaman

archaic or obsolete? not here.

The Bee doesn’t include words labeled obsolete or archaic in competition lists, and you won’t find any in
2024 Words of the Champions either. Why? Because they’re just not used that often. Words labeled obsolete
are found in literature but have not been part of standard English since 1755; words labeled archaic are only
used rarely or in special contexts such as prayers or poetry since 1755. Why 1755? That was the year that the
first really large and comprehensive dictionary was published in London by Samuel Johnson.
26
shar-pei statusy syndicate
shazam stegosaur syntonize
shebang steinkirk syntrophism
sheldrake OR steenkirk syringe
shenanigans stellular
Shetland steppe T
shirk stevia tabernacle
shoji stigmata tableau
sieve stimuli tabulate
simpatico stipulate taciturn
simultaneity stratification tae kwon do
singultus stratocracy tai chi
sirenian stratosphere talisman
Sirius striation tamworth
slalom stricture tangerine
slumgullion stridency tantrum
noun – someone
smellfungus who tends to find Styrofoam tapioca
fault in others.
smithereens subliminal tappet
snell subluxated tarantula
sobersides submersible tarlatan**
sobriety subrident OR tarleton
solon subsequent Tasmanian
somatotype subsistence taverna
somniloquy subterranean taxonomic
soothsayer subtlety tectonic
sophomoric subversive teemed
soppiness succumb telepathic
sousaphone succussion telmatology
Spaniel suet temblor
spathe su!rage temerity
speciation Sumatran tempestuous
spectrometer summoned tempura
spinosity superficiality tenaciously
spiracle superstitious tenement
spirulina supine tensile
splenetic supplicate tentacled
sponsalia supremacy tepidity
spontaneity surcease tercentenary
sprightliness surety terminus
sprue surmountable terra-cotta
spurious surrealist terrarium
stagflation suture tetanus
staid sycophant Thailand
stalwart syllabus theomachy
stanchion sylph theorem
statistician symmetrical theosophy
statuesque symposium theriatrics
27
thoracic trepanation unchristened
thoroughbred trepidation unctuous
thrasonical triage ungetatable
thwartwise tributary unilaterally
thyme trice univocal
tibia tricenary unmoored
ti!any triceratops unremitting
tiffin triforium unscathed
Tinseltown trigeminal untenable
titian triglycerides upbraid
titration trillium upsilon
tomfoolery noun – complete
triste ursine
tommyrot foolishness or trituration usurper
nonsense.
tomography trophic utilitarian
tongue Truckee uveal
toorie truncheon uvula
topgallant tsk-tsked
topiary tubular V
toploftical tumpline vaccination
toponymic tungsten vacillate
torsion turbinado vagabonds
tortoise turducken vague
tosh turgor vainglorious
toties quoties turken valedictorian
toxicosis turophile valerian
tractability turpentine valiant
traiteur tussock valuator
transcend tutelage vandalize
transducer tutti-frutti vanguard
transhumance twain vanquish
transience twang vantage
transmissibility tympanum varicose
transmontane typhlology variegated
transpiration Vatican
transposable U vaudeville
trapezoid ufology veganism
travails Ukrainian vegetarian
noun – the inner
treadle ulna of the two bones vehemence
of the forearm.
trefoil umbilical vehicular
trellis umbrage vendage
tremulous una corda veneer

older than sliced bread

The first national spelling bee was held in 1925. That makes us
older than sliced bread, bubble gum and even trampolines.

28
venerable vincible Y plural noun – small
burrowing crayfish that
vengeance virga yabbies live in most Australian
venial virulence yardang creeks and water holes.

venomous vis-à-vis yawmeter

ventail viscidity Yorkshire
ventricle vitriolic
ventriloquy volary Z
veracity OR volery zazen
verbena volatile zeitgeist
verism volition zeppelin
veritable volucrine zirconium
vermicide volumetric noun – a worker in
zocalo
vernal Vulcan metals; especially: zoetic
a blacksmith.
vertigo zoolatry
vespertine W zowie
noun – a traditional
vestibule wallaby zurna Middle Eastern
woodwind instrument.
vetiver Walter Mitty zydeco
adverb –
vetoed widdershins counterclockwise.
zygote
vicarious wilco
vice versa wobbulator
vicenary woebegone
viceroy wolfsbane
victimology wootz
vigil

The Bee’s Bookshelf

The Bee’s Bookshelf is the o!cial online book club of the Scripps
National Spelling Bee. It’s a place to explore the connection between
stories and spelling. Each month, we read a new book together and
share insights, so sign up to receive our monthly emails to find out
which book is next. Visit spellingbee.com/book-club to learn more.

29
di!culty level: three bee
school spelling bee study list
The seventh and eighth-grade words from the 2024 School Spelling Bee Study List. Words with a single asterisk (*)
indicate a primarily British spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are the preferred spelling.

tripe incarnated ellipsis

slakes pews thyroid
Illinois malicious elongated
commandments interstellar lasso**
contagion petticoat OR lassoo
decibels noun – a state insu!erable incandescent
repose of resting after spawned bureaucrats
activity or
nondescript strain. gorilla refuge
expulsion quarry shoal
Laundromat kung fu perpendicularity
pervading steeds antechamber
malnutrition destitution jeopardy
tunic patronize sauna
extravagant OR patronise* conciliatory
innards dilute forsook
acclimate societal boba
recede uncanny animatronics
indignant communing frijoles
wok deadpan minimus
categorically arable senescent
demure surfactant secreted
chasm nitrogen aspirin
hitherto paralysis aptitude
horticulture metronome Chicana
magistrates attorney bilge
sprocket snivel simultaneously
punctually contemptible Copenhagen
dynasty altimeter Bunsen burner
koi jugular defoliant
incense insolent aerosol
incited aura Ramadan**
deficiencies propitious OR Ramadhan

find the bee on social media

Connect with us! If you’re 13 or older, follow the Scripps National Spelling
Bee on social media. You can find us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Use #spellingbee to join the conversation.

30
photosynthesis craquelure
malignant Macao
matterhorn OR Macau
divot silicon
pixels Albuquerque
antonyms Mumbai
Trinidadian turquoise**
mangels noun – a
OR turquois
nopales legendary Assam
Sumerian king
Gilgamesh and hero of lanthanides
a particular plural noun –
conjunto long narrative antimony ancient Greek jars or
poem. vases having large
Sumerian amphoras oval bodies, narrow
pinyin hypocaust cylindrical necks,
and two handles.
Taoism** avens
OR Daoism grebe
lymphoma pipette**
scandium OR pipet
dendrochronology leks
palomino** pullets
OR palamino Macedonia
retinitis pigmentosa centrifuge
fens coleus
haw Tetrazzini
peplos** Pleiades
OR peplus coccidiosis
moira rooibos tea
Erlenmeyer flask Versailles
Samian meitnerium
luciferin Okefenokee
megaron Popocatepetl
sphagnum Shaanxi
pronaos

our namesake
Although the first national spelling bee occurred
in 1925, it wasn’t until 1941 that Scripps-Howard
Newspapers, now known as The E.W. Scripps
Company, assumed leadership of the program.

31
di!culty level: three bee
Words of the Champions
Organized alphabetically, these words are a great place to complete your journey of mastering Words of the
Champions! Words with a single asterisk (*) indicate a primarily British spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are
the preferred spelling. A complete list of the words that were added to this year’s study list can be found on page 40.

A ague anomaliped
à fond ahimsa anosognosia
à la grecque ahuatle antenatus
a posteriori Ahuehuete Antigua
ab aeterno Ahura Mazda Apabhramsa
abaculus ailette ape-ape
abraum aistopod aperçu
acacia Aitutakian aphasia
accordatura ajimez Apistogramma
acerola akaryote apocryphal
acetaminophen akkum apophyge
acetone alate Apostolici
acharya alcarraza Appaloosa
Achernar Alfvén appetitost
acicula alleluiatic après
acidophilus allochroous Aramaic
acoel almuerzo Ardhamagadhi
acrogeria alouatte Ardipithecus
acropachy alpargata ardoise
ad nauseam altazimuth arenaceous
adiabatic amaryllis aretalogy
adieu amour propre as nas
adscititious amphistylar ascites
Aegilops amuse-gueule astaxanthin
aegrotat anabathmoi Asura
aerophilatelic anaphylaxis asylee
aes rude anathema attacca
Aesir ancien régime au bleu
a!che andouille au courant
ageusia anemone au jus noun – a chicken
soup made with
agitprop angiitis avgolemono egg yolks and
Aglaia aniseikonia azotea lemon juice.

agrypnia Anno Hegirae azulejo

home sweet home

While many people think the Bee is headquartered in Washington, D.C., our hive
is actually located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

32
 noun – a small
B bobolink American songbird cantatrice
that resembles the
baccate Boise blackbird. caprifig
bagwyn Bolognese Caracas
bahr boniface carcajou
bahuvrihi bordereaux carrageenan**
bailiwick Bosc OR carrageenin
balata bouclé OR carragheenin
balbriggan boudin Carrickmacross
baleen bouillon cartouches
banh mi boulevardier caryatid
Barnumesque boutade Casimir e!ect
Bartókian boutonniere Castalia
Barylambda bozzetto catachresis
bas-relief Braeburn cataphora
batamote brouhaha catarrh
battue brume catjang
Baucis bruschetta cavalletti
bauxite buccal caveola
bavardage buñuelo cephalopod
Beauceron Bunyanesque cermet
beaumontage Burkinabe chalaza
Beaux arts Chalcolithic
beccafico C champignon
Bêche-de-Mer cabochon Charon
becquerel ca’canny chastushka
ben trovato cacaxte chasuble
Beowulf cachexia cheongsam
berceuse cacoëthes chèvre
bergère Caerphilly chicanery
Bernoulli e!ect cahiers chopine
bêtise caique chorten
betony cairn choucroute
beurre caisson ciénaga**
Bezier curve calabash OR cienega
bhangra calamondin ciliopathy
bhikshuni calligram cioppino
bibelot caló cire perdue
bibimbap calusar cirri
bisbigliando calvities clerihew
bismillah camarilla cobalamin
blatherskite Camembert coccygeal
blottesque canaille colcannon

on a global scale
At just 12 years old, Jody-Anne Maxwell from Kingston, Jamaica was
our first international champion. She won the Bee in 1998.

33
colloque Deseret Esau
colporteur** desiccate escarole
OR colporter Devanagari escheator
colubrine dghaisa esclandre
concatenate dhole escritoire
connoisseur dhurrie espadrille
consanguine diapason espalier
consigliere diaphanous espial
consommé diastole esplanade
contrapposto Djibouti estancia
contretemps dragée estovers
copernicium drahthaar estrepe
corrigenda Dubhe ethylene
corybantic Dubuque étou!ée
coterie duello eudiometer
cotoneaster duxelles Euroclydon
noun – a typing
coulibiac dvandva keyboard with
exchequer
coulisse Dvorak frequently used
letters placed
coulrophobia dysphasia centrally. F
coup de grace dysrhythmia farfalle
courgette farouche
couverture plural noun – E farrago
fine lines used
creances to leash a hawk ecchymosis fatshedera
during training.
crokinole echelon fauchard
croquembouche echinoderm Feldenkrais
croquignole edamame fellahin**
croustade e!ete OR fellaheen
cryptozoa effleurage fêng shui
cushag Egeria noun – a Welsh ferruginous
competitive
cynocephali eisteddfod festival of the fête champêtre
arts especially
élan in singing. fetticus
D eleemosynary fibromyalgia
plural noun – an
daguerreotype eluate Firbolg ancient group of
people in Ireland.
Darjeeling embouchure flehmen
darmstadtium emollient force majeure
de rigueur emolument Formica
decastich emphysema foudroyant
degauss ennui frabjous
Deimos Enoch Arden fracas
Delmarva Peninsula enoki funori
demitasse epideictic furan
démodé epistemology Furneaux
demurrage epixylous furuncle
Déné Equatoguinean
dengue Erewhonian G
dentifrice Eris gabarit
derring-do erythroblast gabbro
34
 ga!e gyokuro icosahedron
OR ga! gypsophila ikat
gagaku gypsum ikebana
Gaia immie
gaillardia H in medias res
Galahad halala in silico
galatea OR halalah incunabula
galena halcyon inglenook
gallivat Hamtramck ingot
galoot hangul insouciance
gambol haupia integument
Gaspesian hebdomadal internecine
gasthaus Hebrides interregnum
gattine hei-tiki Inugsuk
noun – a member
Geatish hellebore Inuk of the Inuit people.
gegenschein hemorrhage isagoge
gendarme henotheism Ishihara test
genet hepatectomy isosceles
gesellschaft Herodotean ivermectin
noun – any of a
giallolino variety of yellow hiortdahlite
pigments.
ginglymus Hippolyta J
Gippsland hirsute plural noun –
jai alai
glabella hoi polloi ordinary people : jalousie
multitude, masses.
glacis holobenthic janthina
glengarry hominin jasmone
glyceraldehyde homoscedasticity je ne sais quoi
goanna hordeolum jerboa
Gondwana hsaing-waing joropo
noun – either of
graywacke Hsia Jumada two months of
the Islamic year.
griot Huallaga Jungian
Groenendael huerta
Gruyère Humboldt K
guan hutia** kakapo
guapena OR jutia kaleidoscope
Guarnerius hypaethral kalimba
guayabera hyssop kalopanax
guerite hysteresis Kannada
guichet hysteron proteron kapparah
Guidonian katakana
Gurmukhi I katana
gyascutus ichthyology kathakali

the history of silent letters

h! What’s up with all those silent letters?! The word “debt,” for example, comes from a Latin word debita,

shh
which comes from debitum, meaning “debt.” French borrowed the word and dropped the “b,” but a few
hundred years after the word passed to English, we put the “b” back in to make it closer to the original
Latin. Why? Probably just to make it look more “classical,” but it sure does make it harder to spell!

35
kepi M mortadella
Keplerian macaque motherumbung
noun – an Asiatic
kerril sea snake. macchiato mozo
Keynesian macigno muesli
kichel mackinaw mufti
kipuka macushla muktuk
Kitksan mademoiselle muliebrity
kiva maillot Muzak
Kjeldahl majuscule myeloma
kobold Makgadikgadi Pans
koh-i-noor malaise N
Koine Mandelbrot set Nabal
koji mandorla nacelle
korrigan mandragora nahcolite
krewe mange-tout naïveté
kriegspiel mangonel naricorn
Kuiper Belt Manu Naugahyde
kwashiorkor maquillage naumachia
kyphoplasty Marathi neem
marcel neophyte
L marcescent Ner Tamid
La Tène maringouin nescience
laccolith martinoe Nethinim
lanceolate mascarpone Nicoise
langrage mässig nictitate
laterigrade mediobrome nidicolous
Latinxua medulla nimiety adjective –
absurdly nice:
lebensraum megacephalic niminy-piminy ridiculously
noun – liver delicate: finicky.
leberwurst sausage.
megrims nisi
lebkuchen meiosis nival
lecithin mele ni-Vanuatu
lefse mellifluous niveau
lierre Menaia nodosity
ligas meringue nonpareil
lilliputian Metonic cycle notturno
limaçon microfiche noumenon
Llullaillaco millegrain nouveau
lobscouse Mirach Novanglian
loess** miscible nudibranch
OR löss mittimus nyctinasty
logothete moiety
lokelani mondegreen O
louche MOOC noun – a collection obeisant
of earth and stones
loupe moraine carried and finally odontiasis
deposited by a
luftmensch moribund glacier. oeuvre
lunulae morion ogival

36
olecranon parterre pratique
oleiculture pas seul prêt-à-porter
onomatopoeia pasilla prion
onychorrhexis pastitsio Promethean
oolite patois promyshlennik
oopuhue Patripassianism pruritus
Oort cloud pejorate psalmody
oppidan pekoe pschent
Orinoco noun – brass made Pepysian psoriasis
to imitate gold and
ormolu used for furniture perciatelli ptyxis
and other decorative
orogeny purposes. perianth pudibund
orphéon petechia puerilely
oryx Philistine pylorus
ostium philopatry Pythagorean
otiose phloem Pyxis
Ouagadougou phlox
oud Phobos Q
outré photovoltaic qiyas
oviparous piatti Quaoar
oxyacetylene piccata quasar
pierrot quattrocento
P piloncillo Quito noun – a small,
stocky wallaby with a
pachyderm pinniped quokka reddish-brown coat
paella piscivorous quonk and a short tail.

pahoehoe pistou Quonset

palaver Plantagenet
palooka pneumatocyst R
pampootie pochoir raclette
panacea podagra ra!esia
Panathenaea point d’appui rajpramukh
Panchen Lama Ponzi ranunculus
panettone portmanteau rapparee
panjandrum portugais rapprochement
noun – a
pannose porwigle tadpole. Rastafarian
papillon pot-au-feu Rayleigh wave
pappardelle pothos realpolitik
parallax potpourri recamier noun – a
lightweight
paramahamsa pou sto redingote woman’s coat that
is belted with the
pareidolia poudre B rembrandt front open.
Parmentier prajna rennet
parquet pralltriller renvoi

it’s all Greek to me

We often get questions about why we use words that may not appear to be English.
Most words in the English language are words that we borrowed from other languages.
We borrowed them, used them and now call them our own.

37
rescissible Sbrinz stupa
revanche scaberulous sturnine
reveille scagliola stygian
rhododendron Schedar styptic
rhyton sche!era succès fou
rinceau sciatica succorance
risorgimento sciolistic OR succourance*
risposta sclaff Sufi
rissole scobiform supercilious
Robigalia scrofula surimi
noun – the
rocaille scurrilous surreptitious introduction of a
vowel sound in
roi fainéant seine svarabhakti Sanskrit especially
rond de jambe selah Svengali between r or l and a
following consonant.
rondeau semaphore sybaritic
ronin seraya synanthrope
rooseveltite serin syncope
rosemaling sesquipedalian
roseola sessile T
rouille seton taal
rubaiyat Sfax tachycardia
rubato sforzando tachyon
rubefacient Shawwal taedium vitae
ruelle Shiba Inu tamarack
runcible spoon shubunkin tamari
rupicolous silique tambour
ruscus Sir Roger de Coverley tam-o’-shanter
rutabaga Skeltonic tanager
ryas skerrick tandoori
Ryeland smriti** tannined
Ryukyu OR smrti taoiseach
soirée tapetum
S sororal tardigrade
saccharide sorrel tarpaulin
saeta sostenuto taurine
Sagittarius souchong Tchefuncte
sakura sous vide Tegucigalpa
salmagundi** spiedini telamon
OR salmagundy spodumene teledu
sambal sprechstimme telegnosis
samsara sravaka temalacatl
Sangamon stevedore tempeh
sangfroid Strelitzia teneramente
sannyasi stretto terai
Saoshyant Strigolniki teraphim
Sapporo stroganoff teratism
savoir faire struthious terra nullius

38
Terre Haute trompe l’oeil W
tessitura trous-de-loup wabeno
tetrachoric trouvaille Waf
Teutonic tryptophan wahine
thalassic tsukupin Wampanoag
noun – a whitefish of
theca tullibee central and northern wapiti
North America.
Theravada turmeric wassail
thimerosal tusche weka
Thomism Typhoean weltschmerz noun – a white
cheese that is
thuluth Wensleydale eaten fresh prior
to preserving.
tic douloureux U wentletrap
tikka ubi sunt whippoorwill
tikkun ubiquinone whydah**
tilleul ullage OR whidah
tinamou ululate noun – an opaque wigan
igneous rock flecked
tinnient unakite with green, black, wildebeest
pink, and white that is
tintinnabulary unguiculate used as a gemstone. witch of Agnesi
tiramisu uraeus wushu
tmesis urushiol
toccata ushabti X
toey Ushuaia xerogel
toile usufruct xiphias
noun – wood
Tok Pisin xyloglyphy sculpting that is
artistic in nature.
tokonoma V
Y
tomahawk varicella
yakitori
tomalley velouté noun – a soup made
yosenabe of vegetables and
tonsillitis verisimilitude seafood in broth.
yttriferous
topazolite vermeil
yuga
toque Véronique noun – a yuloh
toreutics vexillologist specialist in the
study of flags. yuzu
torii viaticum
toril vicissitudes Z
tourelle vigneron zacate
tournedos vignette zaibatsu
towhee vilipend Zamboni
trichinosis villi Zanni
triduum vinaceous zapateado
trillado vinaigrette Zdarsky tent
triquetra vitiate zemi
triskelion vituperative zimocca
tristeza vizierial zortzico noun – the need
trochee to make a move in
zugzwang chess when it is not
to one’s advantage.

did you know?

The Scripps National Spelling Bee has declared co-champions in 1950, 1957, 1962,
2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019. In fact, in 2019 we had octo-champs!
39
Words that are new this year!
With each edition of Words of the Champions, 20% of the words are replaced with brand new words!
This includes each year’s new School Spelling Bee Study List, but it also includes words at the One, Two and
Three Bee levels of Words of the Champions. Below is the complete list of this year’s newly added words that
are not also on the School Spelling Bee Study List. Words with a single asterisk (*) indicate a primarily British
spelling. Words with a double asterisk (**) are the preferred spelling.
Please note: These words are included in the full list in the previous pages. We’ve compiled them here for you
for ease of studying.

A atrabilious catnap
abashed attrition caudex
abject cello
ablation B chamberlain
aboriginal baccate ciénaga**
abraum bagwyn OR cienega
acclaim become cloture
acidophilus billingsgate coach
acupuncture birdie cogitation
addendum bisbigliando comminatory
addition boarders commiserative
admonition bo!n compelling
adnate Boise concision
advection boogie-woogie confabulation
a!che Braeburn conglutinant
a!liate breathtaking consideration
agility Broccolini convention
agrypnia broil copperhead
alienate bumblebee Coptic
alimentation busby corm
analects coroner
anionic C credit
anise caducity cynicism
anklet caique
anneal calamondin D
anniversary calcify daisy
anomaliped calvities decimation
anosognosia cancion declination
ape-ape candid decurion
appetitost cardoon delectable
arrearage carrageenan** Delmarva Peninsula
Asiago OR carrageenin dghaisa
astronaut OR carragheenin diathermy
asylee cathode diatonic

40
dihedral fiat hoagies
dimorphism fictile holmium
disaster finial horseradish
disjunct fipple howler
diversion flight hypaethral
drahthaar flittern hysteresis
dribbles flummery
dromic folate I
druid folly immortality
drumlin foozle incisiform
dysgraphia foppery incitive
forbivorous income
E fribble incubate
eagerly fundamental indistinguishable
earmark fusiform influential
editorial fussbudget insufflator
eisteddfod Inugsuk
ellipse G
endearing ga!er J
ensued gaggle jammer
epistemology galley jaundiced
epixylous Gallic jerboa
eructation gardenesque
eucrasia gargle K
europium genet kazoo
evzone geniture kenning
excelsior gizzard koji
exeunt Gondwana kriegspiel
explode grapple
extradition gravimetry L
extraordinaire gravitas labroid
extrorse guapena laccolith
lambently
F H langrage
facundity habitual larnax
fadeaway Hamtramck latigo
fardel hatchet limelight
farthingale hennery limned
feeble henotheism limpet
fenster Hitchcockian limpkin

one dictionary to rule them all

The only source for the spelling of words given in the Scripps National Spelling Bee
is Merriam-Webster Unabridged (http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com).

41
linstock pannose remuda
lunulae paraplegic renegotiate
lutrine passage renewable
pastime renitency
M perciatelli rigatoni
macigno perianth rosemaling
madrigal periodontist ruscus
Makgadikgadi Pans photovoltaic
marring piatti S
metaplasia pinnate sannyasi
Michigander plantigrade sarmentum
millet plentiful scandal
millisecond podsnappery schnell
minestra polygenous sci-fi
minette prajna scobiform
mockery pralltriller sedum
modality pratique seller
modem prelapsarian senna
modify preprandial sensei
monture primogeniture sensory
morion proliferate September
muliebrity prolusory shaggy
musings promyshlennik sloop
myocarditis prosody snell
proviant solidity
N proxy solon
naricorn ptyxis solvency
Norovirus purvey sorbet
nozzles speciation
nuzzer Q sponsalia
quirt sprechstimme
O Quito stance
obsecration steampunk
oopuhue R steinkirk
operose rankles OR steenkirk
Orinoco rapparee stowaway
oscitation rapscallion stratocracy
ostium rasorial Styrofoam
overtures reagent subluxated
recanted subsistence
P reconsider subversive
paginate recovery succorance
palooka refugium OR succourance*

42
su!x trinkets W
Sufi trophic Wampanoag
sybaritic tubers wealthy
syntonize tumpline whydah**
syntrophism tunnel OR whidah
turducken wimple
T tutorial
tamworth twain Y
telmatology twang yawl
tendency typhlology yawmeter
terra nullius yore
theosophy U
thrift uppercut Z
tikka usufruct zapateado
tilleul Zoetic
titration V
toastmaster valerian
traiteur veneer
transducer ventail
transpiration viceroy
treadle vigil
treasury vinaceous
triage viscidity

Word Club
Want a new way to study? The Word Club app, available for free
in the App Store and the Google Play Store, will make mastering
Words of the Champions fun! Choose from multiple different quiz and
study options for both spelling and vocabulary, all with expert audio
pronunciations from the Bee’s head pronouncer, Dr. Jacques Bailly.

43
vocabulary: one bee, a-z
New this year, we’ve selected 26 of our favorite words from the One Bee section of Words of Champions
(one for each letter of the alphabet) and included their definitions throughout this study guide. Below, you
can find all of those definitions in one helpful place.
Want more vocabulary? Download the FREE Word Club app today to find definitions like these for all
4,000 Words of the Champions words.

alpaca – noun – a South American mammal that resembles a llama.

botany – noun – the science of plants.

conch – noun – an edible marine mollusk with a large spiral shell.

domino – noun – a small dotted slab that together with other such slabs is used to play a game.

elusive – adjective – hard to catch.

flipperling – noun – a small animal with broad flat limbs adapted for swimming (as a baby seal).

giggle – verb – to laugh in a silly manner.

husk – noun – one of the leaves enveloping an ear of corn.

ignite – verb – to set on fire.

jersey – noun – a soft knitted fabric used for making clothing, especially sportswear.

kudos – noun – praise given for some achievement.

limelight – noun – the center of public attention.

maritime – adjective – of or relating to navigation or commerce on the sea.

nuggets – plural noun – small usually round-shaped pieces of food.

oblong – adjective – having a shape that is elongated beyond a square or circle.

partridge – noun – a medium-sized, short-winged game bird with short legs and neck.

quirky – adjective – full of peculiarities.

restive – adjective – marked by fidgety or uneasy behavior.

salivate – verb – to produce an excessive amount of drool.

trumpet – noun – a brass instrument with a flared bell and three buttons pressed to make
di!erent notes.

44
usher – noun – someone who escorts people to seats at a gathering.

vicinity – noun – neighborhood.

windbaggery – noun – pompous meaningless talk.

yammer – verb – to talk rapidly, for a long time, and often loudly.

zither – noun – an instrument that has a shallow horizontal soundboard topped with 30 to 40
strings that are typically plucked by a performer.

piecing it together
A root can be a simple stand-alone word all by itself (like Greek para meaning
“alongside”) or a root can also be a word’s core piece having a clearly identifiable
meaning that, with the help of a su!x or prefix, makes a stand-alone word. Think
about Dev Shah’s 2023 winning word: “psammophile”. The first part of this word
contains the Greek root psamm- meaning “sand.” The second part of Dev’s word
contains the Greek root -phil from the Greek word philos meaning “beloved, dear,
loving.” Put that together and… can you guess what the word means?

45
vocabulary: two bee, a-z
New this year, we’ve selected 26 of our favorite words from the Two Bee section of Words of
Champions (one for each letter of the alphabet) and included their definitions throughout
this study guide. Below, you can find all of those definitions in one helpful place.

aioli – noun – garlic mayonnaise.

bou!ant – adjective – voluminous.

cantankerous – adjective – grumpy and argumentative.

dromic – adjective – of, relating to, or in the form of a racecourse.

ermine – noun – any of several weasels that have white fur in winter.

frazil – noun – ice crystals sometimes similar to slush that are formed in turbulent water.

gratis – adverb – without charge : free.

heptad – noun – a group of seven people or things.

incisiform – adjective – having the form of a tooth adapted for cutting.

jubilant – adjective – expressing gladness or triumphant joy.

koto – noun – a long Japanese zither having 13 silk strings.

locavore – noun – a person who eats foods grown nearby whenever possible.

myopic – adjective – lacking in foresight or keenness of insight.

nomancy – noun – divination by letters.

obstreperous – adjective – stubborn and defiant often with a show of noisy disorder.

panary – adjective – related to breadmaking.

quiddity – noun – the ultimate form or the essential nature of something.

regurgitate – verb – to bring, forcefully impel, or pour back out again.

smellfungus – noun – someone who tends to find fault in others.

tommyrot – noun – complete foolishness or nonsense.

ulna – noun – the inner of the two bones of the forearm.

Vulcan – noun – a worker in metals; especially: a blacksmith.

widdershins – adverb – counterclockwise.

yabbies – plural noun – small burrowing crayfish that live in most Australian creeks and water holes.

zurna – noun – a traditional Middle Eastern woodwind instrument.

46
vocabulary: three bee, a-z
New this year, we’ve selected 26 of our favorite words from the Three Bee section of Words of
Champions (one for each letter of the alphabet) and included their definitions throughout this
study guide. Below, you can find all of those definitions in one helpful place.

avgolemono – noun – a chicken soup made with egg yolks and lemon juice.

bobolink – noun – a small American songbird that resembles the blackbird.

creances – plural noun – fine lines used to leash a hawk during training.

Dvorak – noun – a typing keyboard with frequently used letters placed centrally.

eisteddfod – noun – a Welsh competitive festival of the arts especially in singing.

Firbolg – plural noun – an ancient group of people in Ireland.

giallolino – noun – any of a variety of yellow pigments.

hoi polloi – plural noun – ordinary people : multitude, masses.

Inuk – noun – a member of the Inuit people.

Jumada – noun – either of two months of the Islamic year.

kerril – noun – an Asiatic sea snake.

leberwurst – noun – liver sausage.

moraine – noun – a collection of earth and stones carried and finally deposited by a glacier.

niminy-piminy – adjective – absurdly nice : ridiculously delicate : finicky.

ormolu – noun – brass made to imitate gold and used for furniture and other decorative purposes.

porwigle – noun – a tadpole.

quokka – noun – a small, stocky wallaby with a reddish-brown coat and a short tail.

redingote – noun – a lightweight woman’s coat that is belted with the front open.

consonants 101
Not sure whether the word has one consonant or two? Check to see if the word has a
su!x, such as a verb that has been conjugated. These words often – but not always! –
have a doubled consonant before that su!x. “The speckled frog hopped off the log while
the horse plodded down the lane and the train chugged down the tracks.” In each of
these cases, the vowel before the doubled letter is a short sound. Can you spot others like
this, and some that have long vowel sounds and do not double that consonant?

47
svarabhakti – noun – the introduction of a vowel sound in Sanskrit especially between r or l and
a following consonant.

tullibee – noun – a whitefish of central and northern North America.

unakite – noun – an opaque igneous rock flecked with green, black, pink, and white that is used
as a gemstone.

vexillologist – noun – a specialist in the study of flags.

Wensleydale – noun – a white cheese that is eaten fresh prior to preserving.

xyloglyphy – noun – wood sculpting that is artistic in nature.

yosenabe – noun – a soup made of vegetables and seafood in broth.

zugzwang – noun – the need to make a move in chess when it is not to one’s advantage.

ey
all about the schwa

oiau
Be like a schwa – never stressed! Except that when you’re a speller, a schwa
can really stress you out! Why? A schwa is pronounced “uh” and in spelling
can be any vowel: a, e, i, o, u or y. That can make a word pretty tough to
spell. If you ask for the word’s language of origin, you can try using that to
help you out. If your word is from Greek, you might want to try an ‘o’ for that
schwa, like in “bacteriolytic”!

48
themed
lists,
games
and
puzzles
New this year, we hope the activities and lists below will provide you
with a more engaging way to interact with and study the Words of
the Champions. All of the words in the lists and games that follow
appear in this year’s edition of Words of the Champions. Enjoy!

49
themed lists

ologies
Ology means “a branch of knowledge” or “the study of.” Check out
these words that all end in -ology. What do you think they mean?

1. phycology 8. ufology
2. phraseology 9. victimology
3. nanotechnology 10. ichthyology
4. anthropology 11. kinesiology
5. numerology 12. cetology
6. neonatology 13. pomology
7. campanology

foods
You better make yourself a snack while you’re
studying this list of food-related words!

1. chowder 8. jambalaya
2. crumpet 9. tapioca
3. hazelnut 10. edamame
4. paella 11. tiramisu
5. rutabaga 12. gnocchi
6. frittata 13. strogano!
7. jalapeño 14. ganache

50
themed lists

animals
Lions and tigers and…alpacas, oh my! Check out this
list of animals found in Words of the Champions.

1. flounder 11. crocodile

2. ewe 12. mandrill
3. caterpillar 13. labradoodle
4. bonobo 14. okapi
5. tortoise 15. aardvark
6. mackerel 16. ibex
7. alpaca 17. wallaby
8. macaw 18. tarantula
9. cicada 19. Shar-Pei
10. lorikeet 20. jerboa

music
Did you know that many of the spellers at the National Competition
are also accomplished musicians? Learning these musical words can
help you on your path to becoming a spelling bee superstar too!

1. harmonious 8. orchestra
2. trumpet 9. marimba
3. con forza 10. serenade
4. mambo 11. glissando
5. cantor 12. acoustic
6. sousaphone 13. muzak
7. cadence 14. accordatura

51
themed lists

words that make

you giggle
We know that spelling can be a serious business, but it’s also
really fun! Could you keep a straight face if you got one of these
words at the microphone?

1. dillydally 11. bandicoot

2. whirlybird 12. froufrou
3. ri!ra! 13. gibbous
4. munchkin 14. equinox
5. bilbo 15. bulgogi
6. tutti-frutti 16. niminy-piminy
7. festooned 17. evo-devo
8. fisticu!s 18. wootz
9. burgoo 19. pampootie
10. sashay 20. boondoggle

52
games

animal scramble
Read the clue for each puzzle and then unscramble the letters to reveal the name of the
animal. Finally, use the letters from the highlighted spaces to complete the final puzzle.

1
This mammal has been domesticated in Peru and is often used for
transportation, as well as for its wool.
PLAAAC
_ _ _ _ _ _

2
This pouched marsupial may be known for hopping, but it can also swim
and crawl!
B W L A L AY
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

3
This slow-moving reptile’s life-span is longer than a human’s, with the
oldest living specimen estimated to be over 190 years old.
SIOTETRO
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

4
These horned mountain climbers can run up to 45 miles per hour.
BEIX
_ _ _ _

5
The name of this fish species is often used as part of an exclamation — it
follows the word “holy.”
KMLEERAC
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6
This striking mammal shares its features with several others, including
gira!es and zebras.
POIKA
_ _ _ _ _

7
Males of this imposing species of monkey look a lot like they’re wearing masks.
DLAILMNR
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

53
games

8
Unlike the scaly counterpart it’s often confused with, this reptile prefers
to chill out in saltwater or brackish environments.
ODLCCEROI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

9
This “designer dog breed” was bred to possess the nature of a guide
dog with a low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat.
EOAOADLDRBL
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

10 If you live in eastern North America, you dread the emergence of this
noisy insect every 17 years.
AACCDI
_ _ _ _ _ _

11 This brush-tongued parrot feeds primarily o! of nectar.

KRETELOI
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Use the highlighted letters from each answer to

complete the final puzzle!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

54
games

word ladders
Change one letter in each line to get from the first
2024 Words of the Champions word to the last!

The first one is done for you. Can you do the rest?

WAN D 1 2 3
W
__A_
R_D
W
__A_
R_P PRONE OUSTER BRICK
WASP _____ ______ _____
TROVE MISTER BLINK

4 5 6 7
SLAB DAISY F I E WAMBLE
____ _____ ___ ______
____ _____ ___ ______
SPRY _____ ___ ______
FOLLY EWE ______
GIGGLE

one last
8 9 challenge! 10
DAFT PEAT THORN
____ ____ _____
____ ____ _____
____ ____ _____
____ ____ _____
DIVA AWRY _____
_____
_____
WRING
55
puzzles
crossword puzzle
people and their work

across down
1 performs miscellaneous tasks 2 prepares and sells medicines (10)
(as in a home or public building) (8)
4 works with masses of numerical
3 investigates complaints in an data (12)
o!cial capacity (9)
5 studies handwriting (12)
5 handles lighting and electrical
needs on a motion picture set (6) 7 practices a branch of medicine
that focuses on structural
6 plans and supervises projects in
integrity of the tissue (9)
a technical field (8)
8 fights with their fists 9 invests large amounts of money (9)
professionally : a boxer (8) 11 sells houses and other such
10 manages an opera company (10) properties, as well as land (7)
13 sells old things, such as rare old 12 handles customer payments (as
books (11) in a store) (7)
14 organizes economic venture -
for example, by starting new
businesses (12)
56
puzzles
word search
attitudes & emotions

apprehensive jubilant
bubbly puckish
candid repentant
deceitful surly
distraught valiant
domineering vindictive
downcast

57
 #spellingbee
spellingbee.com

About Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP) is a diversified media company focused on creating a better-informed world. As one of the nation’s
largest local TV broadcasters, Scripps serves communities with quality, objective local journalism and operates a portfolio of 61 stations in
41 markets. The Scripps Networks reach nearly every American through the national news outlets Court TV and Scripps News and popular
entertainment brands ION, Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION Mystery and Laff. Scripps is the nation’s largest holder of broadcast spectrum. Scripps
runs an award-winning investigative reporting newsroom in Washington, D.C., and is the longtime steward of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Founded in 1878, Scripps has held for decades to the motto, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”