10 Very Tough Spelling Bee Words – And To Remember the Correct Spellings!
Whether you’re in a local spelling bee or competing at the national level, there are going to be some tough words that get in your way. While you might think that you know how to spell them just from how they sound, that’s not always the case. Let’s take a look at some of the toughest spelling bee words that we’ve seen from competitions, what they mean, and how you can remember to nail the correct spelling when it comes up.
Iridocyclitis
Meaning: The acute inflammation of the iris and ciliary body.
Pronunciation: Ee-ruh-dow-sai-klai-tuhs
Language of Origin: English
How to Remember: When knowing that it has to do with the iris, should help with the first part of the word. Cyclitis is pertaining to the ciliary body, too, so it’s important to remember that word when preparing for a spelling bee, as well.
Neutercane
Meaning: A subtropical cyclone that is usually less than 100 miles in diameter and that draws energy from sources common to both the hurricane and the frontal cyclone.
Pronunciation: no̅o̅′tər kān′
Language of Origin: Latin and English
How to Remember: The first part of neutercane might throw you off because it doesn’t have anything to do with your housepets. Once you remember that, simply remember that it’s the common ‘c’ instead of the ‘k’ and you’ll be set.
Asceticism
Meaning: A severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Pronunciation: a-sed-iss-is-um
Language of Origin: Greek
How to Remember: Because it’s Greek, you can count on the first syllable being asc, which is where he get words such as ascend. The tricky part is remembering that it’s ‘eti’ in the middle instead of ‘ete’ while the -ism at the end speaks for itself.
Idiosyncrasy
Meaning: A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group, or a physiological or temperamental peculiarity.
Pronunciation: id-ee-o-syn-cra-see
Language of Origin: Greek
How to Remember: The idio prefix is one that comes naturally for a lot of spellers, but the syncrasy part is where many get tripped up. Remember your ‘y’ instead of the ‘i’ and that the Greek causes the ending to be spelled with an -asy instead of -isy.
Playwright
Meaning: A person who writes plays.
Pronunciation: plā-rīt
Language of Origin: English
How to Remember: This one throws a lot of people off because we spell the word copyright without the ‘w’ in the middle, while also spelling copywriting and copyright. Think of the fact that it’s a writer, and it should help you realize how to spell the word with the w and without the -ite ending.
Odontalgia
Meaning: A pain in or about the tooth.
Pronunciation: ō-ˌdän-ˈtal-j-ē-ə
Language of Origin: New Latin and Greek
How to Remember:
Smaragdine
Meaning: Of or pertaining to emeralds. Having the color of emeralds.
Pronunciation: Sm-uh-rag-deen
Language of Origin: New Latin and Greek
How to Remember: While the beginning and end of the word are pretty straightforward when it comes to spelling, the part where most spellers get tripped up is in the middle. Many think that it’s a ‘u’ or ‘e’ based on how they hear it in their heads, but don’t overthink it and spell it with the ‘a.’
Xanthosis
Meaning: The yellow discoloration of the skin from abnormal causes.
Pronunciation: zanˈthōsə̇s
Language of Origin: Greek
How to Remember: The first thought that a lot of people will have with xanthosis is that it starts with a ‘z’ instead of an ‘x.’ The Greek language of origin should be a dead giveaway, though, as very few words in ancient Greek start with z.
Crustaceology
Meaning: The branch of zoology dealing with crustaceans.
Pronunciation: Krus-tay-see-all-oh-gee
Language of Origin: English and Latin
How to Remember: Just like with any ‘ology’ it’s all about realizing where the prefix word ends. For crustaceans, it cuts off the -ans suffix, much like virology, which cuts off the -us plural from virus. It’s all about making it into a singularity in your head.
Heiau
Meaning: An ancient Hawaiian temple or sacred site.
Pronunciation: hāou
Language of Origin: Hawaiian
How to Remember: When it comes to Hawaiian, you pretty much have to be an expert as the vowels can be tricky. The phonology is different in Hawaii, so figuring out the ‘ei’ and ‘au’ sounds are paramount for spellers.
