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

Now, Max plays in a rock band, Spec Labs, made up entirely of people on the spectrum, previously worked at Starbucks and is currently opening up new avenues of communication via a protocol called Spellers, which teaches spelling and typing to nonspeaking or minimally speaking individuals. —Sabienna Bowman, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025

The new 39-episode series is aimed at preschoolers and kindergarteners, and is based around curriculum meant to build skills including letter-sound knowledge, phonological awareness, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension. —Selome Hailu, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025

This article was updated to correct the spelling of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's name. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

Hackers often create lookalike domains that look nearly identical to real ones, adding small spelling changes or extra words. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025

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