spelling

American  

[spel-ing] / ˈspɛl ɪŋ /

noun

1. the manner in which words are spelled; spell; orthography.

2. a group of letters representing a word.

3. the act of a speller.

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spelling British  

/ ˈspɛlɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of writing words by using the letters conventionally accepted for their formation; orthography

2. the art or study of orthography

3. the actual way in which a word is spelt

4. the ability of a person to spell

   John's spelling is good

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Etymology

Origin of spelling

1400–50; late Middle English (gerund); spell ¹, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

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

From Literature

"It's all about the eastern part of our country. It's all about the land. This is the issue that's not resolved yet," he explained, spelling out the biggest obstacle that he says still remains.

From BBC

Japan also has a currency that seems fated to rebound sooner or later, spelling profit for global investors.

From Barron's

Identifying the female saint would have presented a puzzle even to Renaissance viewers expecting to see St. Anne, but Filippino removes any doubt by spelling out her name on the thin bands across her chest.

From The Wall Street Journal

As a college senior, Bias bought an ankle-length fur coat, a Nissan 380ZX sports car and a gold bracelet encrusted with diamonds spelling his first name, the Washington Post reported.

From The Wall Street Journal