Definition of spell
spelled
play
\ˈspeld, ˈspelt\;
spelling
transitive verb
1
:to read slowly and with difficulty
—often used with out
2
:to find out by study :come to understand
—often used with out
- it requires some pains to spell out those decorations
- —F. J. Mather
3 a (1)
:to name the letters of in order;
also
:to write or print the letters of in order
(2)
:to write or print the letters of in a particular way
b
:to make up (a word)
- what word do these letters spell
c
:write 1b
- catnip is spelled as one word
4
:to add up to :mean
- crop failure was likely to spell stark famine
- —Stringfellow Barr
intransitive verb
:to form words with letters
- teach children to spell
- spells the way he speaks
