Spelling bee is a competition where participants (usually students) are asked to spell a broad selection of words, usually with a varying degree of difficulty.
How a Spelling Bee Works
The goal is simple: spell the word correctly or you’re out. * The Process: A “pronouncer” gives the contestant a word. The contestant can ask for the definition, the part of speech, the language of origin, and an example sentence.
- The Spelling: The contestant must say the word, spell it out loud, and then say the word again to signal they are finished.
- Elimination: If you misspell a word, you are eliminated from the competition. This continues until only one person remains—the champion.
- The “Winning” Rule: In many competitions, once it is down to the final two, the winner must spell their own word correctly plus a “championship word” to clinch the title.
Why is it called a “Bee”?
The word “bee” in this context doesn’t refer to the insect. Historically, “bee” was used to describe a community social gathering where people joined together to complete a task.
- Examples: A “quilting bee,” an “apple bee,” or a “husking bee.”
- Meaning: It likely comes from the Middle English word bene, which means “prayer,” “boon,” or “extra service.” It represented neighbors helping neighbors.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee
The most famous version of this contest is the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States.
- History: It started in 1925 when nine newspapers joined together to host a competition.
- Scale: Today, millions of students from all over the world participate in local and regional rounds to try to reach the national finals in Washington, D.C.
- Difficulty: While local bees start with common words, the national finals include extremely obscure words like psammophile or erysipelas.
Would you like to try spelling a few words yourself to see how you’d do in a competition?