spelling

noun

spell·​ing ˈspe-liŋ How to pronounce spelling (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It's also recommended to teach your children essential information like full name spellings, birthdates, addresses and any instructions on what to do in case of an emergency, according to the organization's safety plan checklist. Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025 The Wild Faith to Take Over America — all of which had titles and paragraphs similar to her work but full of spelling, factual, and grammatical errors. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025 Balancing her creativity with the responsibilities of her day-to-day life has been a challenge, but a worthwhile one for grace shinhae jun (who uses lowercase lettering in the spelling of her name). Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025 But Reagan was wary of tariffs and used much of the 1987 address featured in Ontario's ad spelling out the case against tariffs. NPR, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spelling

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spelling was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Spelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spelling. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

spelling

noun
spell·​ing
ˈspel-iŋ
: the forming of words from letters
also : the letters composing a word

More from Merriam-Webster on spelling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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