spelldown

[spel-doun]

noun

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of spelldown¹

1940–45, from phrase spell down to outspell others in a spelling match

Example Sentences

The 281 kids gathered for the bee socialize outside their cutthroat spelldown.

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