spelling

noun

spell·​ing ˈspe-liŋ 

1

: the forming of words from letters according to accepted usage : orthography

2

a

: a sequence of letters composing a word

b

: the way in which a word is spelled

Examples of spelling in a Sentence

The American spelling is “color” while the British spelling is “colour.”

The words “made” and “maid” sound alike but have different spellings.

Recent Examples on the Web

The first trend on the way out is quirky name spellings. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

They will be edited for spelling, grammar and clarity. — Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026

Scammers often create sites that appear close to the real thing but include extra words, odd spelling or strange endings. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

The variety of spellings, including mahjong, mah jong and mah-jongg, reflects that diversity of histories. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spelling

• finger spelling
• reformed spelling
• spelling bee
• spelling pronunciation

Rhymes for spelling

• belling
• celling
• dwelling
• fehling
• felling
• gelling
• pelling
• quelling
• selling
• shelling
• smelling
• swelling

Kids Definition

spelling

noun

spell·​ing

ˈspel-iŋ

: the forming of words from letters

also : the letters composing a word