spell

¹ American  

[spel] / spɛl /

verb (used with object)

spelled, spelt, spelling

1. to name, write, or otherwise give the letters, in order, of (a word, syllable, etc.).

   Did I spell your name right?

2. (of letters) to form (a word, syllable, etc.).

   The letters spelled a rather rude word.

3. to read letter by letter or with difficulty (often followed byout ).

   She painfully spelled out the message.

4. to discern or find, as if by reading or study (often followed byout ).

5. to signify; amount to.

   This delay spells disaster for us.

   Synonyms:

   promise, mean, portend, foretell

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verb (used without object)

spelled, spelt, spelling

1. to name, write, or give the letters of words, syllables, etc..

   He spells poorly.

2. to express words by letters, especially correctly.

verb phrase

1. spell out

   1. to explain something explicitly, so that the meaning is unmistakable.

      Must I spell it out for you?

   2. to write out in full or enumerate the letters of which a word is composed.

      The title “Ph.D.” is seldom spelled out.

2. spell down to outspell others in a spelling match.

spell ² American  

[spel] / spɛl /

noun

1. a word, phrase, or form of words supposed to have magic power; charm; incantation.

   The wizard cast a spell.

2. a state or period of enchantment.

   She was under a spell.

3. any dominating or irresistible influence; fascination.

   the spell of fine music.

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spell ³ American  

[spel] / spɛl /

noun

1. a continuous course or period of work or other activity.

   to take a spell at the wheel.

2. a turn of work so taken.

3. a turn, bout, fit, or period of anything experienced or occurring.

   a spell of coughing.

4. an indefinite interval or space of time.

   Come visit us for a spell.

   Synonyms:

   stretch, bit, while

5. a period of weather of a specified kind.

   a hot spell.

6. Australian. a rest period.

7. Archaic. a person or set of persons taking a turn of work to relieve another.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take the place of for a time; relieve.

   Let me spell you at the wheel.

2. Australian. to declare or give a rest period to.

verb (used without object)

1. Australian. to have or take a rest period.

spell ¹ British  

/ spɛl /

noun

1. a verbal formula considered as having magical force

2. any influence that can control the mind or character; fascination

3. a state induced by or as if by the pronouncing of a spell; trance

   to break the spell

4. held in or as if in a spell

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verb

1. rare (tr) to place under a spell

spell ² British  

/ spɛl /

noun

1. an indeterminate, usually short, period of time

   a spell of cold weather

2. a period or tour of duty after which one person or group relieves another

3. a period or interval of rest

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verb

1. (tr) to take over from (a person) for an interval of time; relieve temporarily

2. to give a field a rest period by letting it lie fallow

spell ³ British  

/ spɛl /

verb

1. to write or name in correct order the letters that comprise the conventionally accepted form of (a word or part of a word)

2. (tr) (of letters) to go to make up the conventionally established form of (a word) when arranged correctly

   d-o-g spells dog

3. (tr) to indicate or signify

   such actions spell disaster for our cause

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spell Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing spell

• cold snap (spell)
• under someone's spell

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Other Word Forms

• spell-like
  adjective
• spellable
  adjective
• spellful
  adjective
• unspellable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spell¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English spel(l)en “to mean, signify,” from Old French espeller, espelir, from Germanic; compare Old English spellian “to talk, converse, announce” (derivative of spell “magic charm”); akin to Old High German -spellōn, Old Norse spjall “saying, tale,” Gothic spillōn “to narrate”; see origin at spell ²

Origin of spell²

First recorded before 900; Middle English spel “story, tale, narrative,” Old English; cognate with Old High German spel, Old Norse spjall “saying, tale,” Gothic spill “fable, story”; see spell ¹, gospel

Origin of spell³

First recorded in 1585–95; (verb) alteration of earlier spel(l)e “to stand in place of, relieve, spare,” Middle English spelen, Old English spelian; akin to Old English spelian “to stand in place of, represent”; spala, gespelia “a substitute”; the noun is derivative of the verb

Explanation

A spell is a series of words that has magical powers. If you’re under a spell, then what you do is out of your control — your thoughts and actions are dictated by the spell. Spell can refer to the magic words you say, or it can describe being under the influence of those words. You probably don’t encounter many magic spells in real life, but the word is often used figuratively to describe those times when you feel like a magical power controls your action. Of course, this word can also mean the verb "to spell" which refers to reciting the letters in a word, like the competitive spellers in a spelling bee.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spell spelled spelling spelt

After a brief spell in a Parisian convent school—and several months spent nursing her paternal grandmother—Aurore was wed, at age 18, to Casimir Dudevant, a family friend nine years her senior.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

As the extremely dry spell continues across much of England and Wales, a small village in Surrey has notched up 50 consecutive days without rain this summer.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Prolonged dry spell poses a challenge to the region’s already stressed economy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Okike had a loan spell at National League club Hartlepool United this year, scoring within a minute on his senior debut.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

But by the end of the morning, Little Britches could spell Utah, and Flopears found Indiana.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Many of the features that make Head Start distinct from mainstream preschools are spelled out in 122 pages of performance standards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

He hasn’t spelled out how current interest rates will accomplish that.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said: "It is our clear understanding and expectation that the US will honor the commitments that are spelled out under the EU-US Joint Statement, whatever tariff regime is constructed."

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

But Scatchard was spelled incorrectly, and her search failed.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

“Looks like he took his real initials and then spelled Porter backward without the P. Genius. I can’t believe you’re friends with him, and he’s my godfather, and you’re in the books!”

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

From her clothing store on the high street, she has distributed official-looking signage spelling out exactly where to park and for how long without risking a ticket.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Distributors are asked to provide the metadata for each individual song, which makes it possible for a bad actor to submit music using an existing artist's name, or one with a very similar spelling.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

Last week, the family was traveling to Montreal but was initially unable to board their flight because one of his daughters had a problem with the spelling of her name on her ticket.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

In Bucharest, where he arrived in 1945, Paul Antschel became Paul Celan, the new name an anagrammatic rebirth from the Romanian spelling of “Ancel.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

Science is my favorite subject—we’re studying bacteria right now— and I also don’t mind my spelling homework, either.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Although not spelt out precisely during the interview, the implication of Block’s trade rationale is that higher unemployment means economic weakness and this would in turn lead to deteriorating corporate financials.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 1, 2026

The exit poll also spelt bad news for the GreenLeft-Labour party of former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, who had long been second in the polls and is now set to come fourth.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025

A truck carrying Hatton's yellow three-wheeler car was at the head of the funeral procession, with the name "Ricky" spelt out in flowers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2025

By Thursday evening, multiple sources were telling me the concessions were agreed and were big, and the outline of the about-turn was spelt out.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025

“All right, you can hear this, it’s for all of you. It’s time someone spelt it out.”

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Related Words

• add up to
• augur
• indicate
• intend
• portend
• presage
• signify
• suggest