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

Carefully examine the email address; messaging contact information, including phone numbers; URLs; and spelling used in any correspondence or communications. —ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025

One by one, names and numbers were drawn spelling out the competitive field for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 12 May 2025

While spam emails of the past may have been riddled with spelling mistakes, the rise of AI has allowed spam asking for someone to log into their e-commerce site (Amazon, eBay, Etsy) to look more authentic than ever. —Jeremy H. Gottschalk, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Editor's note: The story, originally published on May 1, 2025, was updated to correct the spelling of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's surname. —Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 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