spelling bee

noun

: a spelling contest in which contestants are eliminated as soon as they misspell a word

Examples of spelling bee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. CBS News, 28 May 2026 An eighth-grader at Maranatha Christian School won the county spelling bee Thursday, beating his closest rival after a one-on-one face-off that lasted 13 rounds. Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026 Lancaster, now a seasoned competitor, first became interested in spelling bees after his uncle showed him the comedy film Bad Words, said his father, Kenneth Gramer. Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026 Anxiety and too many stratagems like Wordle and spelling bees online to avoid actually writing. Literary Hub, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spelling bee

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spelling bee was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Spelling bee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spelling%20bee. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

spelling bee

noun
: a spelling contest in which each contestant who spells a word wrong is eliminated

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