17 WINNING WORDS FROM PAST NATIONAL SPELLING BEES

On Thursday, Arvind Mahankali from New York spelled knaidel (a small mass of leavened dough) to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Here are 17 of the most interesting words from the Bees 88-year history.1. Gladiolus, 1925. The word (a type of flower) is notable not due to its complexity, but because it was the first-ever winning word.2. Albumen, 1928. The white part of an egg.3. Promiscuous, 1937. I just like the idea of an eight-year-old asking the judges to use it in a sentence.4. Crustaceology, 1955. The study of crustaceans, of course. Doesnt it roll off of the tongue nicely?5. Syllepsis, 1958. This is a complicated definition: A figure of speech in which one word simultaneously modifies two or more other words such that the modification must be understood differently with respect to each modified word. Say what? How about an example from Dorothy Parker: Its a small apartment. Ive barely enough room to lay my hat and a few friends. Theres also the Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Woman: She blew my nose and then she blew my mind.6. Smaragdine, 1961. Of or pertaining to emeralds, or having the color of emeralds. What beautiful smaragdine eyes you have.7. Esquamulose, 1962. Not covered in scales or scale-like objects. Can we bring this one back? Hey, Jessie. Youre looking especially esquamulose today.8. Maculature, 1979. Paper waste and printed materials not intended for reading, AKA junk mail. You might consider those five Oriental Trading catalogs you never signed up for maculature.9. Elucubrate, 1980. To produce by long and intensive effort, especially in reference to literary work.10. Odontalgia, 1986. The next time you have a sore tooth, impress your dentist by telling him youre suffering from odontalgia. Its just a fancy word for toothache.11. Antediluvian, 1994. Ancient, antiquated or supremely dated. Have a friend whos hitting a milestone birthday soon? Up the ante by referring to them as antediluvian instead of the totally overdone over the hill.12. Vivisepulture, 1996. The act of burying someone alive. Famous people terrified of being buried alive (also known as taphephobia, another great spelling word): Hans Christian Andersen, George Washington and Frederic Chopin.13. Euonym, 1997. A name well suited to a person, place or thing.14. Chiaroscurist, 1998. Chiaroscuro is a style of monochromatic shading used in art, but I like it because it makes me think ofTrogdor.15. Succedaneum, 2001. A substitute or replacement for something else, especially in reference to medicine.16. Prospicience, 2002. Foresight.17. Pococurante, 2003. Apathetic or indifferent. Even though youre not studying for the SATs anymore, maybe you should be a little less pococurante about expanding your vocabulary.

13 WORDS THAT KNOCKED OUT SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE FINALISTSThe87th Annual Scripps National Spelling Beeended in a draw! Sriram Hathwar (right) and Ansun Sujoe are the first co-champions since 1962. If this years Bee inspires you to brush up on your spelling, here are some words that have knocked out recent runners-up.

1. SCHWARMEREI, 2012 & 2004.Note to future contestants: Learn the correct spelling of this German origin noun, which means excessive sentimentality, as it has knocked out two contestants in the final round in the past decade. One was 13-year-old Akshay Buddiga in 2004, who had famouslyfainted on stageonly to get back up and correctly spell alopecoid earlier in the competition.

2. SORITES, 2011.Concluding that there was a p at the beginning of this noun, which is a type of argument that has several successive premises leading to one conclusion, was the undoing of Canadian Laura Newcombe.3. TERRIBILITA, 2010.An expression of intense anger or emotion, particularly in the conception or execution of a work of art. (Or the losing of a spelling competition? Three students tied for second place in 2010.)4. RHYTIDOME, 2010.The outermost layer of the bark of a tree.5. OCHIDORE, 2010.A little-used word for a shore crab. Crustacean would have been so much easier!6. MENHIR, 2009.An upright stone or monolith, typically of prehistoric origin, knocked one contestant down in 2009.7. MAECENAS, 2009.A patron of the arts, and nemesis to 12-year-old Tim Ruiter, who tied for second place in 2009.8. PROSOPOPOEIA, 2008.A figure of speech in which an imaginary or absent person is speaking or acting caused 12-year-old first-timer Sidharth Chand to disappear in 2008.9. CORYZA, 2007.A contagious disease affecting the upper respiratory tract. Damn those colds!10. WELTSCHMERZ, 2006.A state of depression or apathy as a result of accepting the actual state of the world as opposed to an idealized version. Yep, sounds about right. 11. ROSCIAN, 2005.An adjective used to describe a skilled actor, a tribute to Roman actor Quintus Roscius Gallus, who died in 62 BC. Like a pre-Julian Philip Seymour Hoffman.12. TROUVAILLE, 2004.Californian Aliya Deri didnt consider this wordmeaning windfallmuch of a lucky break when it landed her in second place in 2004.13. GNATHONIC, 2003.The g is silent in this adjective (which means fawning or obsequious), which explains its unfortunate omission in eighth-grader Evelyn Blacklocks spelling of it in the final round.EVERY MISSPELLED WORD IN THE 2013 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEEIn case you missed it, 13-year-old Arvind Mahankali took home first place at this yearsScripps National Spelling Bee. His final, winning word wasknaidel, a Yiddish term for a type of dumpling: a truly delicious way to win! But what about the words that made his competition stumble, misspell, and very gracefully take their exit? Heres 2013s list of the words that knocked out all of Arvinds competition.The words correct spelling is first with the ousted contestants misspelling in parentheses, followed by its definition so you can use it in a sentence.cynosure(synosure): An object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration.

commissar(commasar): An official of the Communist Party in charge of political indoctrination and the enforcement of party loyalty.

graupel(grouple): A snow pellet.

voortrekker(vortrekker): One of the original Afrikaner settlers of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State who migrated from the Cape Colony in the 1830.

weissnichtwo(weisnichtwo): An indefinite, unknown, or imaginary place.

asana(ocena): Any of various bodily positions assumed in yogic exercise.

cappelletti(capiltti): Small squares of pasta containing a savoury mixture of meat, cheese, or vegetables.

witloof(witloaf): An endive.

apparatchik(apparchik): An unquestioningly loyal subordinate, especially of a political leader or organization.

douane(duan): A customhouse.

weimaraner(weimeraner): Any of a large breed of hunting dog that originated in Germany, having a smooth grayish coat.

langlauf(launlauf): The sport of cross-country skiing.

prerogative(perogative): An exclusive right or privilege held by a person or group, especially a hereditary or official right.

zwinger(svinger): A palace inDresdenand a major landmark ofGermanbaroquearchitecture.

yannigan(yannagan):A member of a scrub team in baseball.

quadragenarian(quadregenarian): A person who is between 40 and 49 years old.

ratafia(ratifia): A sweet cordial flavored with fruit kernels or almonds.

totipotency(totipettancy): The ability of a cell, such as an egg, to give rise to unlike cells and thus to develop into or generate a new organism or part.

vargueno(vargaino): A decorative cabinet, of a form originating in Spain, the body being rectangular and supported on legs or an ornamental framework and the front opening downwards on hinges to serve as a writing desk.

belomancy(belemancy): A kind of divination anciently practiced by means of marked arrows drawn at random from a bag or quiver, the marks on the arrows drawn being supposed to foreshadow the future.

orthian(orthein):Characterized by high pitch used of a style of singing or a tune.

sabot(sabbot): A wooden shoe worn in some European countries.

jicama(jicima): A crisp, sweet turnip-shaped root vegetable(Pachyrhizus erosus)used raw in salads and as crudits or cooked in stews. Also calledMexican turnip,yam bean.

piloncillo(piloncio):A conical loaf of sugar.

dowager(dowiger): A widow who holds a title or property derived from her deceased husband.

febrility(fibrillity): A rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection

mussitation(muscitation): A speaking in a low tone; mumbling.

tectogene(techtegene): A long, relatively narrow downward fold of sialic crust considered to be an early phase in mountain-building processes. Also known as geotectogene.

pekoe(peekoe): A grade of black tea consisting of the leaves around the buds.

Promethean(Promothean):Greek MythologyRelating to or suggestive of Prometheus.

brodequin(brodican):A high shoe once worn by women.

ageusia(augusia):Pathollack of the sense of taste.

meiosis(miosis):Genetics. The process of cell division in sexually reproducing organisms that reduces the number of chromosomes in reproductive cells from diploid to haploid, leading to the production of gametes in animals and spores in plants.

Bunyanesque(Bunyonesque): Of, relating to, or suggestive of the legend of Paul Bunyan.

Beethovenian(Beatovinian): Of or pertaining to Ludwig van Beethoven.

botryoidal(batrodile): Shaped like a bunch of grapes.

beelzebub(biezelbub): The Devil; Satan.

dysbarism(dysporism):The complex of symptoms (as the bends, headache, or mental disturbance) that accompanies exposure to excessively low or rapidly changing environmental air pressure.

nubuck(nubuc): Leather that has been rubbed on the flesh side of the skin to give it a fine velvet-like finish.

fimbrillate(fimbrilate):Bordered with a minute fringe.

soavemente(suavemente): Sweetly.

pultaceous(pultatious): Macerated; softened; nearly fluid.

hyetometer(hyatometer): A device for measuring rainfall.

hallock(halik):A rectangular wood veneer berry box with straight sides and a raised bottom.

ignimbrite(ignembrite): A volcanic rock formed by the welding together of tuff material from an explosive volcanic eruption.

laureation(laureaiton): The act of crowning with laurel; the act of conferring an academic degree, or honorary title.

diplodocus(diplodicus): A very large herbivorous dinosaur of the genusDiplodocusthat existed during the Jurassic Period.

amimia(amimea): The loss of the ability to express ideas by gestures or to understand the significance of gestures.

parapsychical(paracycical): A number of ostensibly paranormal phenomena, including telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, near-death experiences, reincarnation and apparitional experiences.

sussultatory(cessultatory):Characterized by up-and-down vibrations of large amplitude used of an earthquake.

morosoph(morisoph): A philosophical or learned fool.

ecphonesis(echphenesis): An animated or passionate exclamation.

polytocous(peliticous): Producing many offspring in a single birth.

cabotinage(cabotonnage):behavior befitting a second-rate actor:obvious playing to the audience.

pancratiast(pancrasiast): One who engaged in the contests of the pancratium.

calotte(colotte): A skullcap, especially one worn by Roman Catholic priests.

isopiestic(isopyestic): Marked by or indicating equal pressure; isobaric.

circensian(circentian):Of or relating to the Circus in ancient Rome.

olecranon(olechranon): The large process on the upper end of the ulna that projects behind the elbow joint and forms the point of the elbow.

cyanope(psianope):A person with fair hair and brown eyes.

sarrusophone(serusiphone): A wind instrument resembling the oboe but made of brass.

epichoric(epicoric):Peculiar to a limited area.

venenate(veninate): To poison; to infect with poison.

pergameneous(pergamineous):Resembling parchment

bourre(bourret): An old French dance resembling the gavotte, usually in quick duple time beginning with an upbeat.

doryline(doraline): A type of migratory tropical ant that is blind except for the functional males.

melocoton(melecaton): A quince.

kaburi(caburri):A land crab (Ucides cordatus) common in mangrove swamps from the West Indies to southern Brazil.

cipollino(cipolino): A fictional character from Gianni Rodaris eponymousTale of Cipollino.

zenaida(zaneida):A genus of tropical American pigeons that has one species (Zenaida aurita) reaching the West Indies and formerly the Florida coast and one (Zenaida asiatica) occurring in the southwestern United States.

paryphodrome(pariphodrome):Having a vein that closely follows the margin used of a form of leaf venation.

hallali(hallelee):A huntsmans bugle call.

ptyalagogue(ptyalogogue): A drug or other agent that increases the flow of saliva.

cyanophycean(cyanophycein):Any member of the Myxophyceae.

CHAMPIONS AND THEIR WINNING WORDS

gladiolusceriseluxuriancealbumenasceticismfracasfoulardknacktorsiondeterioratingintelligibleinterningpromiscuoussanitariumcanonicaltherapyinitialssacrilegioussemaphorechlorophyllpsychiatrydulcimermeticulosityinsouciantvignettesoubrettetranseptcrustaceologycondominiumschappesyllepsiscatamaraneudaemonicsmaragdineesquamuloseequipagesycophanteczemaratoonChihuahuaabaloneinterlocutorycroissantshalloonmaceratevouchsafehydrophyteincisornarcolepsycambistdeificationmaculatureelucubratesarcophaguspsoriasisPurimlugemilieuodontalgiastaphylococcielegiacalspoliatorfibranneantipyreticlyceumkamikazeantediluvianxanthosisvivisepultureeuonymchiaroscuristlogorrheademarchesuccedaneumprospiciencepococuranteautochthonousappoggiaturaUrspracheserrefineguerdonLaodiceanstromuhrcymotrichousguetapensknaidelfeuilletonstichomythia