Seniors' Spelling Bee - Hard

Louise V. (Australia)
This is for the Year 11 and 12 students for our school competition. However, everyone is welcome to have a go at these challenging words.
234 words 50 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. acacia
    any of various spiny trees or shrubs
  2. abseil
    a descent down a cliff using a fixed rope wrapped around the body
  3. acolyte
    a devoted follower or assistant
  4. agrarian
    relating to rural matters
  5. alias
    a name that has been assumed temporarily
  6. allusion
    passing reference or indirect mention
  7. alyssum
    any garden plant of the genus Alyssum having clusters of small yellow or white flowers
  8. anachronism
    locating something at a time when it couldn't have existed
  9. ancillary
    furnishing added support
  10. anonymous
    having no known name or identity or known source
  11. antidote
    a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
  12. apothecary
    a health professional who prepares and dispenses drugs
  13. apropos
    of a suitable, fitting, or pertinent nature
  14. architecture
    the discipline dealing with the design of fine buildings
  15. audacious
    disposed to venture or take risks
  16. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
  17. authoritative
    of recognized power or excellence
  18. authoritarian
    characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule
  19. auxiliary
    furnishing added support
  20. baroque
    relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
  21. beneficial
    promoting or enhancing well-being
  22. bivouac
    temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
  23. blaspheme
    speak of in an irreverent or impious manner
  24. bourgeois
    being of the property-owning class
  25. bracelet
    jewelry worn around the wrist for decoration
  26. budgerigar
    small Australian parakeet usually light green with black and yellow markings in the wild but bred in many colors
  27. cabal
    a clique that seeks power usually through intrigue
  28. cameo
    engraving or carving in low relief on a stone
  29. cataclysm
    a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
  30. centenarian
    being at least 100 years old
  31. cessation
    a stopping
  32. chateau
    an impressive country house (or castle) in France
  33. chrysalis
    pupa of a moth or butterfly enclosed in a cocoon
  34. coccyx
    the end of the vertebral column in humans and tailless apes
  35. compositor
    one who puts written material into type
  36. connotation
    an idea that is implied or suggested
  37. constabulary
    a force of police officers
  38. consternation
    sudden shock or dismay that causes confusion
  39. consultancy
    the practice of giving expert advice within a field
  40. contralto
    the lowest female singing voice
  41. contrary
    exact opposition
  42. cornucopia
    a horn filled with fruit and grain symbolizing prosperity
  43. corps
    an army unit usually consisting of two or more divisions
  44. counterfeit
    not genuine; imitating something superior
  45. courteous
    characterized by politeness and gracious good manners
  46. crescendo
    a gradual increase in loudness
  47. dalmatian
    a medium to large dog with a smooth, white coat and black or brown spots
  48. decontaminate
    rid of unwanted pollution, germs, or impurities
  49. deficiency
    lack of an adequate quantity or number
  50. delirious
    experiencing hallucinations
  51. demur
    politely refuse or take exception to
  52. deposition
    the act of putting something somewhere
  53. desultory
    marked by lack of definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
  54. disarray
    untidiness, especially of clothing and appearance
  55. disciple
    one who believes and helps spread the doctrine of another
  56. discomfort
    the state of being tense and feeling pain
  57. discontent
    a longing for something better than the present situation
  58. discontinuity
    lack of connection or continuity
  59. discrepancy
    a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
  60. editorial
    an article giving opinions or perspectives
  61. equanimity
    steadiness of mind under stress
  62. etiquette
    rules governing socially acceptable behavior
  63. eventuality
    a possible event or occurrence or result
  64. exchequer
    the funds of a government or institution or individual
  65. expedient
    appropriate to a purpose
  66. gauche
    lacking social poise or refinement
  67. gestation
    the period during which an embryo develops
  68. grievous
    causing or marked by grief or anguish
  69. haiku
    an epigrammatic Japanese verse form of three short lines
  70. heinous
    extremely wicked or deeply criminal
  71. hereditary
    occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
  72. heterodox
    characterized by departure from accepted standards
  73. hydrangea
    any of various deciduous or evergreen shrubs of the genus Hydrangea
  74. hydrophobia
    a morbid fear of water
  75. hypocrisy
    pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not have
  76. imaginary
    not based on fact; unreal
  77. incendiary
    capable of causing fires or catching fire spontaneously
  78. incipient
    only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
  79. incompatible
    not in harmonious or agreeable combination
  80. inconceivable
    totally unlikely
  81. inconvenience
    the quality of not being useful
  82. indigenous
    originating where it is found
  83. indiscriminate
    failing to make or recognize distinctions
  84. individualist
    a person who pursues independent thought or action
  85. indomitable
    impossible to subdue
  86. inevitable
    incapable of being avoided or prevented
  87. insignificant
    conveying nothing
  88. intermittent
    stopping and starting at irregular intervals
  89. inveterate
    habitual
  90. judiciary
    the system of law courts that administer justice
  91. laborious
    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
  92. liege
    a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
  93. maelstrom
    a powerful circular current of water
  94. manifestation
    a clear appearance
  95. masquerade
    a party of guests wearing costumes and disguises
  96. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
  97. ministerial
    of or relating to a government department
  98. mores
    the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group
  99. myrrh
    aromatic resin that is burned as incense and used in perfume
  100. nadir
    the lowest point of anything
  101. nausea
    the state that precedes vomiting
  102. necessary
    absolutely essential
  103. obligatory
    required by compulsion or convention
  104. orientation
    the act of determining one's position
  105. ornithology
    the branch of zoology that studies birds
  106. oxymoron
    conjoined contradictory terms
  107. peripheral
    on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary
  108. pessimism
    a general disposition to expect the worst in all things
  109. Pharaoh
    the title of the ancient Egyptian kings
  110. picturesque
    suggesting or suitable for an artistic composition
  111. poised
    marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
  112. quinine
    a bitter extract from cinchona bark, used to treat malaria
  113. recital
    a public instance of repeating something prepared in advance
  114. request
    express the need or desire for; ask for
  115. rheumatism
    any painful disorder of the joints or muscles
  116. sapphire
    a precious transparent stone that is typically a rich blue
  117. sarcophagus
    a stone coffin, usually bearing sculpture or inscriptions
  118. scour
    rub hard or scrub
  119. searing
    extremely hot
  120. sabbatical
    a leave usually taken every seventh year
  121. sensationalism
    the journalistic use of shocking subject matter
  122. sociology
    the study and classification of human societies
  123. soliloquy
    speech you make to yourself
  124. speciality
    a distinguishing trait
  125. spontaneous
    said or done without having been planned in advance
  126. syllable
    a unit of spoken language larger than a phoneme
  127. syllabus
    a summary or outline of what will be covered in an academic course
  128. symbolise
    represent or identify by using a symbol; use symbols
  129. sympathise
    share the feelings of; understand the sentiments of
  130. tankard
    a large drinking vessel with one handle
  131. tarot
    any of a set of (usually 72) cards that include 22 cards representing virtues and vices and death and fortune etc.; used by fortunetellers
  132. tawny
    having the color of tanned leather
  133. territory
    a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
  134. troglodyte
    one who lives in solitude
  135. unanimous
    in complete agreement
  136. unconstitutional
    not consistent with or according to fundamental laws
  137. utilitarian
    having a useful function
  138. vignette
    a brief literary description
  139. vivisection
    the act of operating on living animals
  140. vulnerable
    capable of being wounded or hurt
  141. xenophobia
    a fear of foreigners or strangers
  142. zealot
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  143. zebu
    a domesticated ox with a humped back and long horns
  144. abominable
    unequivocally detestable
  145. accompaniment
    a musical part that supports other musical parts
  146. acetylene
    a colorless flammable gas used chiefly in welding and in organic synthesis
  147. anthropology
    science of the origins and social relationships of humans
  148. argumentative
    given to or characterized by a tendency to dispute
  149. aristocracy
    a privileged class holding hereditary titles
  150. assignation
    a secret rendezvous (especially between lovers)
  151. calumny
    a false accusation of an offense
  152. cassava
    any of several plants of the genus Manihot having fleshy roots yielding a nutritious starch
  153. chipolata
    a small thin sausage
  154. cilium
    a hairlike projection from the surface of a cell
  155. coerce
    cause to do through pressure or necessity
  156. concentric
    having a common center
  157. congregation
    the act of assembling
  158. conservatory
    a schoolhouse with special facilities for fine arts
  159. consignment
    the delivery of goods for sale or disposal
  160. controversial
    marked by or capable of causing disagreement
  161. convection
    transfer of heat caused by molecular motion in liquid or gas
  162. correspondent
    a journalist who supplies stories for news media
  163. curriculum
    an integrated course of academic studies
  164. denomination
    identifying word by which someone or something is called
  165. denunciation
    a public act of condemnation
  166. derelict
    a person without a home, job, or property
  167. differentiate
    acquire a distinct character
  168. dilettante
    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
  169. disapproval
    an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group
  170. dromedary
    a camel with a single hump
  171. dynamics
    mechanics concerned with forces that cause motions of bodies
  172. eczema
    an inflammatory condition of the skin
  173. egalitarian
    favoring social equality
  174. elegiac
    resembling or characteristic of a lament for the dead
  175. enigma
    something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
  176. ennui
    the feeling of being bored by something tedious
  177. erroneous
    containing or characterized by mistakes
  178. expatriate
    a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country
  179. expectant
    marked by eager anticipation
  180. fraudulent
    intended to deceive
  181. gastropod
    a class of mollusks typically having a one-piece coiled shell and flattened muscular foot with a head bearing stalked eyes
  182. gyrate
    revolve quickly and repeatedly around an axis
  183. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
  184. hexameter
    a verse line having six metrical feet
  185. hierarchy
    a series of ordered groupings within a system
  186. homeopathy
    a method of treating disease with small amounts of remedies that, in large amounts in healthy people, produce symptoms similar to those being treated
  187. humanitarian
    marked by devotion to popular welfare
  188. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
  189. impetuous
    characterized by undue haste and lack of thought
  190. inappropriate
    not suitable for a particular occasion or use
  191. incandescent
    emitting light as a result of being heated
  192. inexperienced
    lacking practical experience or training
  193. inflexible
    resistant to being bent
  194. infrastructure
    the basic features of a system or organization
  195. intermediate
    lying between two extremes in time, space, or state
  196. irresponsible
    showing lack of care for consequences
  197. liaise
    act as or form a connection or alliance between groups
  198. megalomania
    a psychological state characterized by delusions of grandeur
  199. melancholy
    a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed
  200. mesolithic
    of or relating to a middle period of the Stone Age
  201. notorious
    known widely and usually unfavorably
  202. opprobrium
    a state of extreme dishonor
  203. pandemonium
    a state of extreme confusion and disorder
  204. permeable
    allowing fluids or gases to pass or diffuse through
  205. permutation
    a complete change in character or condition
  206. perspiration
    salty fluid secreted by sweat glands
  207. physical
    involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
  208. pianissimo
    a direction in music; to be played very softly
  209. pneumonia
    a serious illness of the lungs that makes it difficult to breathe
  210. poignant
    keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
  211. porcelain
    ceramic ware made of a more or less translucent ceramic
  212. preposition
    a word before a noun or pronoun connecting to another word
  213. prerogative
    a right reserved exclusively by a person or group
  214. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
  215. prosecution
    legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior
  216. punctuation
    the use of marks to clarify meaning of written material
  217. quisling
    someone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force
  218. quota
    a prescribed number
  219. rehabilitate
    restore someone to a good state of health or reputation
  220. resilient
    recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like
  221. rostrum
    a platform raised above the surrounding level
  222. roux
    a mixture of fat and flour heated and used as a basis for sauces
  223. sartorial
    of or relating to tailoring or clothing
  224. stertorous
    having a heavy snoring sound
  225. subconscious
    just below the level of awareness
  226. subsidiary
    functioning in a supporting capacity
  227. supplementary
    functioning in a supporting capacity
  228. symmetrical
    exhibiting equivalence or correspondence among constituents
  229. symposium
    a meeting for the public discussion of some topic
  230. temperamental
    subject to sharply varying moods
  231. totalitarian
    of a government with an authority exerting absolute control
  232. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed
  233. unwitting
    not aware or knowing
  234. viscount
    a British peer who ranks below an earl and above a baron
Created on Mon May 02 22:15:09 EDT 2011 (updated Tue May 03 00:53:12 EDT 2011)

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