spelt

¹ American  

[spelt] / spɛlt /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of spell.

---

spelt ² American  

[spelt] / spɛlt /

noun

1. one of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat, Triticum aestivum spelta, native to southern Europe and western Asia, used for livestock feed and as a grain for human consumption.

---

spelt ¹ British  

/ spɛlt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of spell 1

---

spelt ² British  

/ spɛlt /

noun

1. a species of wheat, Triticum spelta, that was formerly much cultivated and was used to develop present-day cultivated wheats

---

Usage

And is spelt in the dictionary? Spelt is a word. It is the simple past tense and past participle of the verb spell, as in She spelt all the words correctly on the spelling test. Spelt causes some confusion because spelled is also a valid form of the past tense and past participle of spell, as in They spelled the science terms with care to avoid mistakes. Spelled is the more common past tense form of spell.

What's the past tense of spell?

The past tense of spell can be either spelt or spelled, but spelled is much more commonly used. 

Etymology

Origin of spelt

before 1000; Middle English, Old English from Late Latin spelta, probably from Germanic; compare Old High German spelza ( German Spelt )

Explanation

Some people who are sensitive to wheat can eat baked goods made from spelt flour. Spelt is a grain that's closely related to wheat. Most bagels and breads are made from wheat flour, but some bakers use spelt, a similar, nutty-flavored grain. The word spelt is as ancient as the grain itself, going back to Proto-Indo-European language and the word spel, meaning "to split or break off," possibly because of the way spelt husks split during threshing. Spelt is also the past tense of spell in British English, while in the United States, people tend to go with spelled, unless they're talking about non-wheat bagels.

Example Sentences

Although not spelt out precisely during the interview, the implication of Block’s trade rationale is that higher unemployment means economic weakness and this would in turn lead to deteriorating corporate financials.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Two humiliating friendly results three months later – a goalless draw with Gibraltar and 4-0 thrashing by Slovakia – spelt the end for Page.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

The exit poll also spelt bad news for the GreenLeft-Labour party of former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans, who had long been second in the polls and is now set to come fourth.

From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025

A truck carrying Hatton's yellow three-wheeler car was at the head of the funeral procession, with the name "Ricky" spelt out in flowers.

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

‘Neither does he use his right name, nor permit it to be spelt or spoken,’ said Aragorn.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Related Words

• cereal
• grass