Spelling Bee Word List

Summer 2017

Table of Contents
Latin
Greek
Arabic
Eponyms
French
Asian Languages
German
Japanese
Dutch
New World
Slavic Languages
African Dialects
Scandinavian Languages
Old English
Spanish and Portuguese
Italian

3
5
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
17
18
19
20

In order to be prepared for the spelling bee, you should learn the definitions and spellings of
these words. The words have been grouped by languages, and you should take note of
characteristics of the language. Challenge words have been provided for extra practice and
also may be used during the bee, including the final round. You do not need to learn
diacritical markings, accents, hyphens, dashes, apostrophes, umlauts, capitalization, etc. In
the championship rounds, words not on the list may be used.
Note: Some languages may have been included under categories because of common
similarities. Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Aboriginal languages were included under New
World Languages despite them not being true New World Languages. Scandinavian
Languages includes Icelandic, Swedish, Old Norse, Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish. While
there is the Eponyms category, some eponyms are located amongst the categories of
languages. Many words have multiple languages of origin, and we included them under the
language seen to be fit.

Latin

emaciate

tripartite

consequence

nefarious

intrepid

condominium

malleable

supply

truncate

rejuvenate

canvas

remunerative

reminiscent

sincerely

vestibule

coliseum

antecedent

conference

botanic

vehicular

eligible

junction

tenement

domicile

protozoan

perjury

millennium

gravitas

precipice

procrastination

tangential

spatula

auburn

plagiarism

incipient

ebullient

flagellant

incredulity

convolute

veridical

cessation

effervesce

gubernatorial

juxtapose

medieval

fauna

sentence

terrestrial

succinct

collateral

proponent

machination

immutable

anxious

algae

vice versa

assailant

apparatus

susceptible

infuriate

coerce

ventriloquist

precipitous

halitosis

posterior

cholera

radii

champion

peninsula

persevere

collude

repercussion

rectify

et cetera

formulate

caveat

circumference

propel

tremendous

plausible

irrefutable

blatant

lemniscate

reciprocate

sessile

estivate

solder

affinity

prescient

memento

delegate

dexterity

guttural

laboratory

consortium

nascent

seize

vernacular

insidious

gentian

hiatus

audacious

exercise

dissipate

fanaticism

celestial

disciple

facsimile

estuary

pessimistic

ambiguous

recess

expunge

subterfuge

protectorate

calendar

solemn

crescent

granule

ostensibly

receipt

purgatory

augment

elucidate

curator

quantum

disturb

pendulum

Challenge Latin
ubiquitous

eleemosynary

cuneiform

commensalism

pharaoh

exaggerate

uxorious

jejune

luxurious

cynicism

aggregate

ameliorate

hydrolysis

preeminent

prerogative

exeunt

exonerate

gerund

litigious

ungulate

usurp

pernicious

auxiliary

metallurgy

scintillate

amalgam

egregious

tertiary

Greek

kaleidoscopic

apocalypse

alabaster

dilemma

catalyst

stalactite

analogous

orchesis

coriander

schematics

lecithin

acronym

xylem

stela

pachyderm

axiom

amphitheater

dyslexia

amorphous

enthusiasm

hubris

skeleton

epizootic

paranoia

amylose

dryad

sphinx

asteroid

aesthetic

genesis

myriad

rhetoric

opera

erogenous

apocryphal

lycanthropy

epiphany

rhythm

thesaurus

periphery

epilepsy

parable

philosophy

psychology

synagogue

xenophobia

euphoria

typhus

anesthetic

chaos

asterisk

enigmatic

archetype

metaphor

aura

charisma

prognosis

syntax

liturgy

cyclops

symmetry

nausea

ethos

rhapsody

grammar

metropolis

chameleon

telophase

protocol

protein

strategy

holograph

idyll

trauma

pita

cyclists

phenomenon

synopsis

anemone

salamander

entropy

ephemeral

sphere

licorice

absinthe

certain

apology

surgery

polyphasic

skatole

blasphemy

vulpine

dynasty

choreography

eclectic

nostalgia
5

ether

pragmatism

iconoclast

aerospace

panorama

measure

aloe

megalith

Challenge Greek
hierarchy

labyrinthine

hypocrisy

halcyon

autochthon

hemorrhage

synecdoche

nematocyst

catachresis

onomatopoeic

pharmaceutical

stochastic

idiosyncrasy

hydroxyl

eucalyptus

anachronistic

hegemony

suspicious

misogynist

hyperbole

isthmus

pterodactyl

nautilus

uraeus

Arabic
minaret

shawarma

avatar

satrap

caravan

ghost

apricot

sesame

tahini

sugar

alcohol

imam

cotton

genie

kumquat

guitar

khaki

alkali

sofa

couscous

cumin

syrup

kiosk

algebra

mattress

algorithm

cinnabar

zero

saffron

kebob

khan

tamarind

baklava

hummus

monsoon

carrack

mosque

taj

sultan

zenith

artichoke

lemon

orange

mahal

decipher

kohl

basalt

gazelle

oasis

lilac

giraffe

albacore

Challenge Arabic
ziggurat
hajj

hadj

myrrh

souk

suq

carafe

bezoar

caliphate

muezzin

mohair

lapis lazuli

azure

nadir

taffeta

halal

jessamine

afghan

Eponyms
gargantuan

scuppernong

greengage

Orwellian

saran

gibbsite

maffick

gerrymandering

italicize

frank

tuxedo

tarmac

salmonella

hypnotic

Cerberean

odyssey

denim

tantalize

hermetic

Marxist

leotard

marathon

marigold

java

python

volcano

martini

obsidian

shrapnel

Rubicon

braille

balaclava

rhinestone

boycott

damask

Faustian

mercurial

hooligan

macadamia

praline

Challenge Eponyms
guillotine

mausoleum

braggadocio

byzantine

cologne

tequila

Freudian

diesel

maudlin

madeleine

sarrusophone

mesmerize

poinsettia

Zoroastrianism

pasteurize

lyceum

French
mannequin

gauntlets

mousse

viable

vis--vis

macabre

entree

savant

toupee

intrigue

menagerie

grandeur

dowager

parachute

kerchief

campaign

crme

buffet

technique

enterprise

peasant

serfdom

voyage

monologue

bouquet

biscuit

parfait

impromptu

conceit

boutique

memoir

rsum

duvet

aisle

sabotage

bullion

cadet

casserole

unique

faucet

banal

gambol

mirage

nonchalant

reservoir

plumage

canard

havoc

besiege

espionage

journalist

survey

pursue

billionaire

denture

beret

faux

hoc

menu

bureaucrat

portrait

musketeer

routine

gastronome

salmagundi

depot

gourmet

cushion

escargot

nuance

basil

boulevard

fatigue

morale

mouflon

mollusk

mollusc

elite

regime

financial

baguette

valet

jargon

butte

plateau

massage

vague

ratchet

menial

leisure

halyard

margarine

gnome

turquoise

suede

prairie

scarf
9

Challenge French

rendezvous

discothque

appliqu

chauffeur

bchemel

roux

mayonnaise

poignant

attach

repechage

entourage

croissant

esplanade

cossaise

sovereign

vignette

chassis

gendarme

involucre

migr

ricochet

lieutenant

entrepreneur

vinaigrette

coiffure

mischievous

coup

debonair

10

Asian Languages
pinyin

sitar

pariah

masala

hoisin

guru

chai

roti

boba

kowtow

pandanus

banyan

cummerbund

karma

mango

dinghy

yeti

sari

chutney

bamboo

jungle

sarong

bibimbap

chowchow

gecko

juggernaut

rattan

kampong

chintz

typhoon

samosa

seersucker

poisha

bungalow

oolong

ginseng

rupee

cheetah

nirvana

walla

wallah

jackal

pajamas

pyjamas

kimchi

veranda

verandah

Challenge Asian Languages

bhangra

zamindar
zemindar

dhole

krait

bulgogi

catamaran

souchong

congee

Darjeeling

gingham

tussah

gymkhana

lakh

wok

batik

agar

11

Japanese

panko

Bunraku

anime

haiku

wasabi

nori

sushi

pachinko

koi

Zen

kudzu

tofu

tsunami

umami

manga

tempura

sashimi

soy

tamari

karate

samurai

udon

miso

mochi

sumo

karate

kimono

ninja

matsutake

shogun

wakame

bonsai

kanji

yakitori

hibachi

sake

Bushido

koan

futon

origami

Challenge Japanese
haniwa

nisei

issei

nunchaku

karaoke

teppanyaki

daimyo

daimio

kombucha

12

German
langlauf

yodel

seltzer

sitzmark

hauberk

mensch

pretzel

Bildungsroman

hazel

zinc

knuckle

finches

quartz

herald

spiel

poltergeist

foosball

angst

lederhosen

mayhem

streusel

cobalt

rucksack

hinterland

creosote

teeter

Backstein

graupel

pumpernickel

pitchblende

bratwurst

snippet

glitz

einkorn

blitz

fife

schnitzel

iron

realschule

sprinkle

spritz

waltz

umlaut

wunderkind

zither

poodle

ogle

Meistersinger

gestalt

kindergarten

inselberg

schloss

Challenge German
ersatz

spaetzle

lammergeyer
lammergeier

doppelgnger

schadenfreude

glockenspiel

dachshund

debauchery

weimaraner

muesli

zweiback

kapellmeister

zeitgeist

dirndl

gesundheit

homeopathy

13

Dutch
waffle

buckwheat

halibut

tattoo

brackish

scrabble

wafer

buoyancy

loophole

gherkin

measles

muddle

easel

harpoon

wintergreen

sketch

clapboard

beleaguer

yacht

isinglass

bruin

keest

sheldrake

Netherlander

potash

guilder

foist

keelhaul

staple

guy

handsome

catkin

etch

trek

mackerel

freebooter

floss

caboose

tattle

ticket

daffodil

buckwagon

snuff

rabbit

wentletrap

howitzer

blister

hatch

Challenge Dutch
maelstrom

hartebeest

springbok

waterzooi

uitlander

steenbok

keeshonden

apartheid

schipperke

kraal

flense

witloof

14

New World Languages

jacaranda

avocado

cacao

igloo

chocolate

guacamole

terrapin

iguana

raccoon

budgerigar

tapa

kapu

coyote

cayenne

lei

quinine

moose

cashew

hurricane

moccasin

hickory

totora

buccaneer

ukelele

ukulele

tomahawk

chili

kayak

pampas

persimmon

muskeg

manioc

guano

potato

moana

tamale

ahi

canoe

piranha

caucus

mahalo

luau

mugwump

aloha

pareu

pareo

Challenge New World Languages

kipuka

heiau

mesquite

chinampa

muumuu

peyote

quinoa

unau

capybara

komatik

coati

piki

15

Slavic Languages
paprika

vampire

polka

mammoth

vodka

trepak

cossack

hammer

steppe

agitprop

tundra

kremlin

Slavic

robot

troika

gulag

cravat

babushka

parka

latke

sputnik

pika

oblast

goulash

kasha

sevruga

karst

beluga

cheka

glasnost

cosmonaut

samovar

shaman

dacha

aul

lokshen

yurt
gopak
Soviet
feldsher

caftan

kaftan

babka
podzol

podsol

barabara

Challenge Slavic Languages

kielbasa

perestroika

tchotchke

ukase

knish

zinfandel

hussar

kolkhoz

suslik

apparatchik

tamburitza

chernozem

16

African Languages
ivory

tenrec

kudu

okra

marimba

banjo

impala

chimpanzee

tote

voodoo

mamba

goober

Challenge African Languages

quelea

kwashiorkor

tsetse

gnu

shea

manyatta

Kwanzaa

Kwanza

basenji

Scandinavian Languages
berserker

boulder

wheeze

lingonberry

iceberg

narwhal

hue

saga

sauna

wapentake

ski

walrus

Challenge Scandinavian Languages

tungsten

kantele

lutefisk

kraken

slalom

rutabaga

smorgasbord

fulmar

17

Old English
fervor

Halloween

chestnut

pillory

drought

shrewd

hemlock

thwart

aghast

hearken

lithe

thraldom

whence

sword

nightingale

wergild

mirth

shabby

currant

almond

knell

parchment

dairy

damsel

daughter

queasy

gospel

mermaid

stymie

thatch

kernel

quarrel

whirlpool

plight

bakery

askew

loathe

starch

hearth

hearse

shadow

leeward

sickle

kiln

overwhelm

wrath

tomorrow

merely

stifle

furrow

abode

cowardice

disdain

thus

garner

twister

quiver

thistle

quagmire

yawn

whorls

tandem

disgruntle

furor

alderman

beacon

holly

kitchen

chide

flotsam

priest

astonish

Challenge Old English

unfathomable

heirloom

pinafore

thorough

laird

Wiccan

ewe

shrieval

18

Spanish and Portuguese

garrote

garotte

compadre

junta

palomino

carne asada

oregano

ramada

jalapeo

ancho

burrito

tortilla

seor

fiesta

filibuster

tapas

samba

chorizo

tornado

mariachi

plaza

derecho

salsa

chipotle

embargo

hacienda

caste

machismo

banana

vanilla

coconut

caravel

mosquito

llama

sangria

habanero

flotilla

caramel

marmalade

yucca

adobe

renegade

cafeteria

gaucho

gazpacho

lariat

zebra

flamingo

poncho

posada

barrio

alligator

sombrero

Challenge Spanish and Portuguese

jicama

quadrille

Chihuahua

vaquita

ayahuasca

conquistador

maquiladora

caballero

sarsaparilla

rejoneador

picaresque

sassafras

19

Italian
alfredo

risotto

bandit

colonnade

semolina

regatta

escarpment

salami

biscotti

maestro

bastion

carbonara

spaghetti

caricature

bizarre

ballerina

ocarina

malaria

terra-cotta

mezzanine

incognito

cocoon

barista

marzipan

libretto

manifesto

tiramisu

scenario

cantina

pizzeria

pepperoni

salad

mascara

macaroni

cauliflower

panino

inferno

lingua franca

battalion

grotto

graffiti

tariff

casino

tremolo

lava

galleria

artisan

influenza

al dente

piano

bambino

cartel

flautist

aria

oratorio

vista

parasol

gusto

salvo

tetrazzini

cadre

tarantella

rotunda

stucco

Challenge Italian
mozzarella

panettone

archipelago

broccoli

irredentism

pizzicato

zucchini

ciabatta

maraschino

masquerade

trattoria

focaccia

prosciutto

aioli

literati

cappuccino

20