National Spelling Bee '14: Semifinals and Finals

Words from semifinal and final rounds of the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Check out our recap here.
40 words 1175 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. messuage
    (law) a dwelling house and its adjacent buildings and the adjacent land used by the household
  2. gelid
    extremely cold
  3. fustigate
    strike with a cudgel
  4. funambulist
    an acrobat who performs on a tightrope or slack rope
  5. plausive
    expressing or manifesting praise or approval
  6. ebullition
    an unrestrained expression of emotion
  7. Amontillado
    pale medium-dry sherry from Spain
  8. morbilli
    an acute and highly contagious viral disease marked by distinct red spots followed by a rash; occurs primarily in children
  9. anaglyphy
    the process of producing pictures in contrasting colors that appear three-dimensional when superimposed and viewed through spectacles with one red and one green lens
  10. favus
    a contagious fungal infection of the scalp
  11. phytophilous
    (of animals) feeding on plants
  12. retrorse
    bent or curved backward or downward
  13. parapraxis
    a small, inadvertent mistake in speech or writing
  14. nitid
    bright with a steady but subdued shining
  15. seidel
    a glass for beer
  16. ensilage
    fodder harvested while green and kept succulent by partial fermentation as in a silo
  17. plessor
    (medicine) a small hammer with a rubber head used in percussive examinations of the chest and in testing reflexes
  18. Gehenna
    a place where the wicked are punished after death
  19. ibidem
    in the same place (used when citing a reference)
  20. harlequinade
    acting like a clown or buffoon
  21. serictery
    silk-producing gland of insects or spiders
  22. cachinnate
    laugh loudly and in an unrestrained way
  23. hermeneutics
    theology that deals with principles of interpretation
  24. phocine
    of or relating to seals
  25. siriasis
    sudden prostration due to exposure to the sun or excessive heat
  26. diaphoresis
    the process of the sweat glands of the skin secreting a salty fluid
  27. xerophthalmia
    abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes
  28. brachypterous
    having very short or rudimentary wings
  29. ormolu
    brass that looks like gold; used to decorate furniture
  30. pelisse
    a sleeveless cape that is lined or trimmed with fur
  31. Camembert
    rich soft creamy French cheese
  32. tapotement
    massage in which the body is tapped rhythmically with the fingers or with short rapid movements of the sides of the hand; used to loosen mucus on the chest walls of patients with bronchitis
  33. charcuterie
    a store that specializes in meats and meat products
  34. collyrium
    lotion consisting of a solution used as a cleanser for the eyes
  35. chalybeate
    containing or impregnated with or tasting of iron
  36. eryngo
    any plant of the genus Eryngium
  37. ctenoid
    resembling a comb
  38. Aeschylean
    of or relating to or in the manner of Aeschylus
  39. characin
    any freshwater fish of the family Characinidae
  40. terreplein
    level space where heavy guns can be mounted behind the parapet at the top of a rampart
Created on Thu May 29 23:37:45 EDT 2014 (updated Fri May 30 10:34:58 EDT 2014)

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