spelling bee
noun
a spelling competition won by the individual or team spelling the greatest number of words correctly; spelldown.
spelling bees
-
pluralof spelling bee.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Children across the United States have participated in spelling bees with the hopes of making it to the national contest since 1925, according to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
The New York Times, which has covered spelling bees for almost 150 years, will continue that tradition Thursday night, reporting live on the spellers’ stories and the words they face.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
All spellers earned their spots as national competitors by advancing through regional spelling bees, competing against students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2023
Dasari says there are roughly 100,000 words in the dictionary that are appropriate for spelling bees.
From Washington Times ● May 29, 2023
It’s applied indiscriminately to professional athletes, lottery winners, and kids who clean up at spelling bees.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
