noun
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a person who spells words in the manner specified
a bad speller
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a book designed to teach or improve spelling
Etymology
Origin of speller
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at spell 1, -er 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And I’m such a bad speller that even the most generous auto-correct can’t figure out that the word I’m trying to write is “mellifluous.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Rare is a speller like Vanya Shivashankar, who came in with enormous buzz in 2015 after years of strong finishes and ended up winning the trophy.
From Seattle Times • May 29, 2024
Dev’s winning word was “psammophile,” a layup for a speller of his caliber.
From Washington Times • Jun. 2, 2023
Mr. Bailly, who won the competition in 1980, tries to make eye contact with the speller and humanize the moment.
From New York Times • Jun. 1, 2023
No matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t ever going to be a perfect speller.
From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
