"Rococo" And 24 More Words To Be A Champion Speller

Buzz. Buzz. Do you love words? Do you love spelling words? Do you have what it takes to be a Scripps National Spelling Bee Champion? If you’ve answered yes to all or most of the questions, then here’s a quarter of words to help you get started.

Before you start drilling these words, here’s a short index of information about the famous Scripps National Spelling Bee:

• the National Spelling Bee was founded in 1925 by the Louisville Courier-Journal in Kentucky to encourage kids to become more interested in spelling
• Pauline Bell was the first female Bee Champion, and she won by correctly spelling the color "cerise"
• Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary is the official dictionary of the National Spelling Bee
• the contender is given two minutes to spell the world
• a secret Spelling Bee Word Committee exists, and the names of the members of it are never disclosed
• the term “connoisseur” is a frequently used word on the Spelling Bee list
• the Scripps National Spelling Bee was the most tweeted show of 2015, surpassing "Game of Thrones" and "The Bachelorette"

1. Rococo

Pronunciation: ruh-co-co

Definition:

• (adjective) referring to an 18th-century artistic style marked by delicate asymmetrical forms and intricate embellishments
• (adjective) something very elaborate

2. Pusillanimous

Pronunciation: pyoo-si-la-ni-mus

Definition:

• (adjective) something or someone that lacks courage and determination

3. Carapace

Pronunciation: cah-ruh-pays

Definition:

• (noun) the hard outer shell of an animal like a turtle or a crab
• (noun) a protective covering

4. Meringue

Pronunciation: meh-rang

Definition:

• (noun) dessert item made by beaten egg whites and sugar
• (noun) a sweet treat made with beaten egg whites and sugar that is baked until crisp

5. Pulchritude

Pronunciation: puhl-kreh-tood

Definition:

• (noun) beauty

6. Argot

Pronunciation: ar-go

Definition:

• (noun) specific language or slang used by a particular group of people

7. Bucolic

Pronunciation: byoo-ko-lik

Definition:

• (adjective) relating to the aspects of country life or rural life

8. Bobolink

Pronunciation: bah-bah-link

Definition:

• (noun) a songbird from the American blackbird family that lives in North America

9. Andouille

Pronunciation: ahn-du-ee

Definition:

• (noun) a spicy pork sausage used in Cajun dishes

10. Rathskeller

Pronunciation: rat-skeh-ler

Definition:

• (noun) a restaurant or a beer tavern in the basement

11. Heuristic

Pronunciation: hyoo-ris-tik

Definition:

• (adjective) a way to learn something that helps people problem-solve efficiently
• (noun) the study and use of heuristic methods

12. Degauss

Pronunciation: deh-gahs

Definition:

• (verb) to remove unwanted magnetic field

13. Degauss

Pronunciation: ee-treeh-feh-russ

Definition:

• (adjective) something that has the element yttrium

14. Sinophile

Pronunciation: si-nuh-file

Definition:

• (adjective) in support of the Chinese policies
• (noun) someone with a strong interest in Chinese culture

15. Boudin

Pronunciation: boo-din

Definition:

• (noun) a rice sausage with rice meat or seafood
• (noun) a French type of spicy blood sausage

16. Dengue

Pronunciation: deng-gehy

Definition:

• (noun) a viral disease caused by mosquitoes causing sudden fever, rash, and joint pains

17. Jicama

Pronunciation: hi-ca-muh

Definition:

• (noun) an edible root that can be eaten raw or cooked, usually used in Mexican dishes

18. Nicoise

Pronunciation: ni-swaz

Definition:

• (noun) name of a salad connected with the city of Nice, France
• (adjective) salad served with tomatoes and olives (Nicoise ingredients)

19. Atlatl

Pronunciation: at-la-tel

Definition:

• (noun) a stick for throwing a spear used by some various North American indigenous peoples

20. Ennui

Pronunciation: ahn-wee

Definition:

• (noun) a feeling of dissatisfaction and despair

21. Oolite

Pronunciation: oh-uh-lite

Definition:

• (noun) a rock made of rounded grains of calcium carbonate

22. Steeplechase

Pronunciation: stee-pel-chase

Definition:

• (noun) a horse race with obstacles like hedges and walls
• (noun) a 300 meters obstacle race with a water jump

23. Incomprehensible

Pronunciation: ihn-com-pre-hen-seh-bel

Definition:

• (adjective) hard to understand

24. Unwonted

Pronunciation: un-won-ted

Definition:

• (adjective) rare

25. Quidnunc

Pronunciation: kwid-nungk

Definition:

• (noun) someone who is always up to date on the latest gossip

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