spelldown
[ spel-doun ]
/ ˈspɛlˌdaʊn /
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noun
a spelling competition that begins with all the contestants standing and that ends when all but one, the winner, have been required to sit down due to a specified number of misspellings.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
Origin of spelldown
1940–45, Americanism; from phrase spell down to outspell others in a spelling match
Words nearby spelldown
spellbind, spellbinder, spellbound, spell-check, spell checker, spelldown, speller, speller-divider, spellican, spelling, spelling bee
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021