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NSF Spelling bee "A, B"

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. ablution
    the act of washing oneself, as for ritual purposes
  2. accolade
    a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
  3. accommodate
    have room for; hold without crowding
  4. accommodation
    making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
  5. acoustics
    the study of the physical properties of sound
  6. adder
    a person who adds numbers
  7. adjacent
    having a common boundary or edge
  8. adobo
    a dish of marinated vegetables and meat or fish
  9. adolescence
    the period between the beginning of puberty and adulthood
  10. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
  11. adversity
    a state of misfortune or affliction
  12. affinity
    a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
  13. affluent
    having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
  14. affront
    a deliberately offensive act
  15. albatross
    a large web-footed bird noted for powerful gliding flight
  16. alcohol
    a volatile compound made by distillation
  17. allegation
    a formal accusation against somebody
  18. alloy
    a mixture containing two or more metallic elements
  19. ambush
    the act of hiding and waiting to make a surprise attack
  20. amenable
    disposed or willing to comply
  21. anarchy
    a state of lawlessness and disorder
  22. anatomy
    the study of the structure of animals
  23. ancestor
    someone from whom you are descended
  24. android
    a moving mechanical device that looks like a person
  25. animism
    the doctrine that all natural objects have souls
  26. anneal
    bring to a desired consistency by heating and cooling
  27. anniversary
    the date on which an event occurred in some previous year
  28. antebellum
    belonging to a period before a war
  29. anthology
    a collection of selected literary passages
  30. antiquity
    the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe
  31. anvil
    a heavy block on which hot metals are shaped by hammering
  32. apathy
    an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
  33. apology
    an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
  34. apostle
    an ardent early supporter of a cause or reform
  35. appeasement
    the act of acceding to demands
  36. archangel
    a spiritual at the highest rank in the celestial hierarchy
  37. aristocracy
    a privileged class holding hereditary titles
  38. armada
    a large fleet
  39. asterisk
    a star-shaped character used in printing
  40. atmospheric
    relating to or located in the mass of air surrounding Earth
  41. atoll
    an island consisting of a coral reef surrounding a lagoon
  42. atrocity
    an act of shocking cruelty
  43. auditorium
    the area of a theater or hall where the audience sits
  44. automaton
    a mechanism that can move independently of external control
  45. autopsy
    an examination and dissection of a dead body
  46. axiom
    a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof
  47. azure
    bright blue in color, like a clear sky
  48. babyish
    characteristic of a baby
  49. badminton
    a game played on a court with light long-handled rackets
  50. balefire
    a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration
  51. ballast
    any heavy material used to stabilize a ship or airship
  52. ballerina
    a female ballet dancer
  53. baneful
    evil or sinister
  54. barnacle
    marine crustacean with feathery food-catching appendages
  55. barnstorm
    appear at county fairs and carnivals as a stunt flier and parachute jumper
  56. barricade
    a barrier to impede the advance of an enemy
  57. basic
    reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible
  58. batik
    a dyed fabric
  59. battery
    a collection of related things intended for use together
  60. bazooka
    a portable rocket launcher used by infantrymen as an antitank weapon
  61. beaker
    a cup (usually without a handle)
  62. bedeck
    decorate
  63. beeline
    the most direct route
  64. begin
    set in motion, cause to start
  65. behoove
    be appropriate or necessary
  66. belief
    any cognitive content held as true
  67. benedictory
    expressing benediction
  68. benign
    kind in disposition or manner
  69. benumbed
    lacking sensation
  70. bequeath
    leave or give, especially by will after one's death
  71. binary
    of or pertaining to a number system having 2 as its base
  72. birdie
    a small bird; an affectionate name for a bird
  73. biscuit
    small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
  74. blabber
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
  75. black
    being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness
  76. blackout
    darkness resulting from the extinction of lights
  77. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
  78. blithe
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
  79. blizzard
    a weather event with widespread snowfall and strong winds
  80. bloc
    a group united for a particular purpose
  81. bolster
    support and strengthen
  82. bombardment
    an attack by dropping explosive devices
  83. bonbon
    a candy that usually has a center of fondant or fruit or nuts coated in chocolate
  84. bonus
    extra pay or reward given to employees for good performance
  85. border
    the boundary of a surface
  86. boric
    of or relating to or derived from or containing boron
  87. Boswell
    Scottish author noted for his biography of Samuel Johnson
  88. botany
    the branch of biology that studies plants
  89. bower
    a framework that supports climbing plants
  90. bowery
    like a bower; leafy and shady
  91. brawl
    quarrel or fight noisily, angrily or disruptively
  92. breakdown
    the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue
  93. breakwater
    a protective structure of stone or concrete
  94. bridge
    structure allowing passage across a river or other obstacle
  95. brocade
    thick expensive material with a raised pattern
  96. broil
    cook by exposing to strong heat in a part of an oven
  97. buffalo
    a ruminant mammal resembling an ox
  98. buffet
    piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room
  99. bunker
    an underground shelter or fortification
  100. burgoo
    a thick, rustic, slow-simmered stew of meat and vegetables
  101. burrito
    a flour tortilla folded around a filling
Created on Tue Jul 16 23:51:43 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Jul 17 00:02:18 EDT 2013)

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