Level 09 Spelling Bee Word List
Study the complete Level 09 spelling bee word list below — a free spelling bee practice and vocabulary-building resource with 193 competition words for Level 9 preparation. Every word includes its meaning, part of speech, word origin (etymology), IPA pronunciation, and a free audio pronunciation clip, so you can study spelling, definitions, and correct pronunciation together — exactly the multi-dimensional word knowledge tested at regional and national spelling bee competitions.
- Free spelling bee word list — no sign-in or subscription required
- Audio pronunciation for every word, so you can hear correct stress and vowel sounds
- Word origin and etymology to help you reason through unfamiliar spelling patterns
- Part of speech and full definitions for real vocabulary understanding, not just memorisation
- Matched to Level 9 spelling bee competition difficulty
193 words · SpellingKids.com
| Word | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| abandon /əˈbændən/ VERB Latin/French | To cease to support or look after; desert. | 🔊 Listen |
| ability /əˈbɪlɪti/ NOUN Latin | The physical or mental power or skill needed to do something. | 🔊 Listen |
| abolition /ˌæbəˈlɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The action of formally ending or abolishing a system, practice, or institution. | 🔊 Listen |
| abysmal /əˈbɪzməl/ ADJECTIVE Greek | Extremely bad; appalling. | 🔊 Listen |
| academic /ˌækəˈdɛmɪk/ ADJECTIVE Greek | Relating to education and scholarship; not of practical relevance. | 🔊 Listen |
| acceptance /əkˈsɛptəns/ NOUN Latin | The action of consenting to receive or undertake something offered. | 🔊 Listen |
| accordance /əˈkɔːdəns/ NOUN Old French | Conformity or agreement. | 🔊 Listen |
| accrue /əˈkruː/ VERB Latin/French | To accumulate or receive payments or benefits over time. | 🔊 Listen |
| acerbity /əˈsɜːbɪti/ NOUN Latin | Sourness or bitterness of taste; harshness of edge, temper, or tone. | 🔊 Listen |
| acronym /ˈækrənɪm/ NOUN Greek | An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word. | 🔊 Listen |
| adjacent /əˈdʒeɪsənt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Next to or adjoining something else. | 🔊 Listen |
| adjoin /əˈdʒɔɪn/ VERB Latin/Old French | To be next to and joined with. | 🔊 Listen |
| adorable /əˈdɔːrəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Inspiring great affection; delightful. | 🔊 Listen |
| affect /əˈfɛkt/ VERB Latin | To have an effect on; make a difference to. | 🔊 Listen |
| agate /ˈæɡət/ NOUN Greek/Latin | An ornamental stone consisting of a hard variety of chalcedony, typically banded in appearance. | 🔊 Listen |
| aggregate /ˈæɡrɪɡət/ NOUN Latin | A whole formed by combining several separate elements. | 🔊 Listen |
| airborne /ˈeəbɔːn/ ADJECTIVE English | Carried through the air. | 🔊 Listen |
| alimentary /ˌælɪˈmɛntəri/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Of or relating to nourishment or sustenance. | 🔊 Listen |
| almond /ˈɑːmənd/ NOUN Greek/Latin/Old French | The oval nutlike seed of the almond tree, eaten as a nut or used for oil. | 🔊 Listen |
| amass /əˈmæs/ VERB Latin/French | To gather together or accumulate a large quantity of. | 🔊 Listen |
| amicable /ˈæmɪkəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Characterized by friendly goodwill; peaceable. | 🔊 Listen |
| amidst /əˈmɪdst/ PREPOSITION Old English | In the middle of; surrounded by. | 🔊 Listen |
| ancestor /ˈænsɛstər/ NOUN Latin | A person, typically one more remote than a grandparent, from whom one is descended. | 🔊 Listen |
| anonymous /əˈnɒnɪməs/ ADJECTIVE Greek | Of a person not identified by name; of unknown name. | 🔊 Listen |
| anticipation /ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction. | 🔊 Listen |
| apathy /ˈæpəθi/ NOUN Greek | Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. | 🔊 Listen |
| appendand /əˈpɛndənd/ ADJECTIVE Latin/Old French | Associated with or attached to something as a subsidiary (archaic variant of appendant). | 🔊 Listen |
| approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/ VERB Latin/Old French | To come near or nearer to in distance or time. | 🔊 Listen |
| apropos /ˌæprəˈpəʊ/ ADJECTIVE French | Very appropriate to a particular situation. | 🔊 Listen |
| arena /əˈriːnə/ NOUN Latin | A level area surrounded by seats for public entertainments or sports. | 🔊 Listen |
| arrogance /ˈærəɡəns/ NOUN Latin | The quality of being arrogant; overbearing pride. | 🔊 Listen |
| ascertain /ˌæsəˈteɪn/ VERB Latin/Old French | To find something out for certain; make sure of. | 🔊 Listen |
| aspiration /ˌæspɪˈreɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | A hope or ambition of achieving something. | 🔊 Listen |
| astonish /əˈstɒnɪʃ/ VERB Latin | To surprise or impress someone greatly | 🔊 Listen |
| athlete /ˈæθliːt/ NOUN Greek | A person who is proficient in sports and physical exercises | 🔊 Listen |
| attain /əˈteɪn/ VERB Latin | To succeed in achieving, especially with effort. | 🔊 Listen |
| attorney /əˈtɜːrni/ NOUN Old French | A person appointed to act for another in business or legal matters | 🔊 Listen |
| austere /ɒˈstɪər/ ADJECTIVE Greek/Latin | Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance; extremely simple or plain. | 🔊 Listen |
| autocracy /ɔːˈtɒkrəsi/ NOUN Greek | A system of government by one person with absolute power | 🔊 Listen |
| axiom /ˈæksiəm/ NOUN Greek | A statement or proposition that is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true | 🔊 Listen |
| ballot /ˈbælət/ NOUN/VERB Italian | A system of voting secretly and in writing | 🔊 Listen |
| baptism /ˈbæptɪzəm/ NOUN Greek | The Christian religious rite of sprinkling water on to a person's forehead | 🔊 Listen |
| basement /ˈbeɪsmənt/ NOUN Italian/English | The floor of a building which is partly or entirely below ground level | 🔊 Listen |
| bearable /ˈbɛərəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Old English | Able to be endured | 🔊 Listen |
| behavior /bɪˈheɪvjər/ NOUN Old English/Anglo-French | The way in which one acts or conducts oneself | 🔊 Listen |
| benediction /ˌbɛnɪˈdɪkʃən/ NOUN Latin | The utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service. | 🔊 Listen |
| benevolent /bəˈnɛvələnt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Well meaning and kindly | 🔊 Listen |
| beverage /ˈbɛvərɪdʒ/ NOUN Old French | A drink, especially one other than water | 🔊 Listen |
| billiard /ˈbɪljərd/ NOUN French | A game played on a cloth-covered table with balls and a cue | 🔊 Listen |
| biscuit /ˈbɪskɪt/ NOUN Latin | A small, typically round, flat, and crisp sweet cake or bread product | 🔊 Listen |
| blare /blɛər/ VERB/NOUN Middle Dutch | Make a loud, harsh sound | 🔊 Listen |
| blouse /blaʊz/ NOUN French | A loose-fitting upper garment for women or girls | 🔊 Listen |
| boldness /ˈboʊldnəs/ NOUN Old English | Courageousness, or a willingness to take risks | 🔊 Listen |
| borrow /ˈbɒroʊ/ VERB Old English | Take and use something that belongs to someone else with the intention of returning it | 🔊 Listen |
| bourgeois /ˈbʊərʒwɑː/ ADJECTIVE/NOUN French | Characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to perceived materialistic values | 🔊 Listen |
| brake /breɪs/ NOUN/VERB Dutch | A device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle | 🔊 Listen |
| breakthrough /ˈbreɪkˌθruː/ NOUN English | A sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development. | 🔊 Listen |
| brevity /ˈbrɛvɪti/ NOUN Latin | Concise and exact use of words in writing or speech | 🔊 Listen |
| brogue /broʊɡ/ NOUN Irish/Gaelic | A strong outdoor shoe with ornamental perforations, or a marked accent | 🔊 Listen |
| brown /braʊn/ ADJECTIVE/NOUN Old English | Of a color produced by mixing red, yellow, and black | 🔊 Listen |
| bud /bʌd/ NOUN/VERB Middle English | A compact knoblike growth on a plant which develops into a leaf, flower, or shoot | 🔊 Listen |
| bureau /ˈbjʊəroʊ/ NOUN French | An office or department for transacting particular business | 🔊 Listen |
| byword /ˈbaɪwɜːrd/ NOUN Old English | A person or thing cited as a notorious and prime example of something | 🔊 Listen |
| calculate /ˈkælkjʊˌleɪt/ VERB Latin | Determine mathematically or evaluate | 🔊 Listen |
| calibrate /ˈkælɪbreɪt/ VERB Arabic/Latin | To mark an instrument with a standard scale of readings; adjust precisely. | 🔊 Listen |
| campanile /ˌkæmpəˈniːli/ NOUN Italian | A bell tower, especially a freestanding one | 🔊 Listen |
| cannon /ˈkænən/ NOUN/VERB Italian/Latin | A large, heavy piece of artillery, formerly used in warfare | 🔊 Listen |
| caper /ˈkeɪpər/ VERB/NOUN Latin/Italian | Skip or dance about in a lively or playful way | 🔊 Listen |
| captor /ˈkæptər/ NOUN Latin | A person or animal that catches or confines another | 🔊 Listen |
| cardboard /ˈkɑːrdbɔːrd/ NOUN English | Pasteboard or stiff paper, especially as used for making boxes | 🔊 Listen |
| carnation /kɑːrˈneɪʃən/ NOUN Latin/Old French | A double-flowered cultivated variety of clove pink, with various colors | 🔊 Listen |
| cash /kæʃ/ NOUN/VERB Latin/Old French | Money in coins or notes, as distinct from checks, a credit, or a credit card | 🔊 Listen |
| castor /ˈkæstər/ NOUN Greek/Latin | A reddish-brown oily substance secreted by beavers, or a plant/wheel type | 🔊 Listen |
| catgut /ˈkætˌɡʌt/ NOUN English | Tough cord made from the intestines of animals, used for the strings of musical instruments | 🔊 Listen |
| catharsis /kəˈθɑːsɪs/ NOUN Greek | The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions. | 🔊 Listen |
| ceremony /ˈsɛrəˌmoʊni/ NOUN Latin | A formal religious or public occasion, typically one celebrating a particular event | 🔊 Listen |
| chastise /tʃæˈstaɪz/ VERB Old French | Rebuke or reprimand severely; punish | 🔊 Listen |
| clairvoyant /kleəˈvɔɪənt/ NOUN French | A person who claims to have a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact. | 🔊 Listen |
| clandestine /klænˈdɛstɪn/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit | 🔊 Listen |
| collusion /kəˈluːʒən/ NOUN Latin | Secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others. | 🔊 Listen |
| colossal /kəˈlɒsəl/ ADJECTIVE Greek/Latin | Extremely large; huge | 🔊 Listen |
| comparable /ˈkɒmpərəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin/Old French | Able to be likened to another; similar | 🔊 Listen |
| complement /ˈkɒmplɪmənt/ NOUN/VERB Latin | A thing that completes or brings to perfection | 🔊 Listen |
| compute /kəmˈpjuːt/ VERB Latin | Calculate or reckon a figure or amount | 🔊 Listen |
| conciliatory /kənˈsɪliətəri/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Intended or likely to placate or pacify. | 🔊 Listen |
| confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ NOUN Latin | The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. | 🔊 Listen |
| connoisseur /ˌkɒnəˈsɜːr/ NOUN French | An expert judge in matters of taste | 🔊 Listen |
| consistency /kənˈsɪstənsi/ NOUN Latin | Conformity in the application of something, typically that which is necessary for the sake of logic, accuracy, or fairness. | 🔊 Listen |
| construction /kənˈstrʌkʃən/ NOUN Latin | The building of something, typically a large structure | 🔊 Listen |
| contrast /ˈkɒntræst/ NOUN/VERB Latin/French | The state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association | 🔊 Listen |
| controversial /ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Giving rise or likely to give rise to public disagreement. | 🔊 Listen |
| convert /kənˈvɜːrt/ VERB/NOUN Latin | Cause to change in form, character, or function | 🔊 Listen |
| correspondence /ˌkɒrɪˈspɒndəns/ NOUN Latin/French | Communication by exchanging letters with someone; close similarity, connection, or equivalence. | 🔊 Listen |
| counsel /ˈkaʊnsəl/ NOUN/VERB Latin/Old French | Advice, especially that given formally, or to advise | 🔊 Listen |
| culminate /ˈkʌlmɪneɪt/ VERB Latin | To reach a climax or point of highest development. | 🔊 Listen |
| curvature /ˈkɜːvətʃər/ NOUN Latin | The boundary or state of being curved. | 🔊 Listen |
| decision /dɪˈsɪʒən/ NOUN Latin | A conclusion or resolution reached after consideration. | 🔊 Listen |
| dedication /ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose. | 🔊 Listen |
| definitive /dɪˈfɪnɪtɪv/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Of a conclusion or agreement done or reached decisively and with authority. | 🔊 Listen |
| demonstrate /ˈdɛmənstreɪt/ VERB Latin | To clearly show the existence or truth of something by giving proof or evidence. | 🔊 Listen |
| denomination /dɪˌnɒmɪˈeɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | A recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church; a nominal value of a banknote, coin, or postage stamp. | 🔊 Listen |
| desolate /ˈdɛsələt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Of a place deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness. | 🔊 Listen |
| deter /dɪˈtɜːr/ VERB Latin | To discourage someone from doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences. | 🔊 Listen |
| development /dɪˈvɛləpmənt/ NOUN French | The process of developing or being developed; a specified state of growth or advancement. | 🔊 Listen |
| dilemma /daɪˈlɛmə/ NOUN Greek | A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. | 🔊 Listen |
| disastrous /dɪˈzɑːstrəs/ ADJECTIVE Italian/Greek | Causing great damage. | 🔊 Listen |
| disintegrate /dɪsˈɪntɪɡreɪt/ VERB Latin | To break up into small parts, typically as the result of impact or decay. | 🔊 Listen |
| divide /dɪˈvaɪd/ VERB Latin | To separate into parts or portions. | 🔊 Listen |
| drudgery /ˈdrʌdʒəri/ NOUN Middle English | Hard, menial, or dull work. | 🔊 Listen |
| edition /ɪˈdɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | A particular form or version of a published text. | 🔊 Listen |
| elderly /ˈɛldəli/ ADJECTIVE Old English | Older or aging. | 🔊 Listen |
| emergency /ɪˈmɜːdʒənsi/ NOUN Latin | A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. | 🔊 Listen |
| enervate /ˈɛnəveɪt/ VERB Latin | To cause someone to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken. | 🔊 Listen |
| entrepreneur /ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːr/ NOUN French | A person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so. | 🔊 Listen |
| equinox /ˈiːkwɪnɒks/ NOUN Latin | The time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of approximately equal length. | 🔊 Listen |
| evanescent /ˌiːvəˈnɛsənt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or vanishing. | 🔊 Listen |
| exhaust /ɪɡˈzɔːst/ VERB Latin | To drain someone of their physical or mental resources, or to use up a resource completely. | 🔊 Listen |
| explicit /ɪkˈsplɪsɪt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt. | 🔊 Listen |
| extreme /ɪkˈstriːm/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Reaching a high or the highest degree; very great. | 🔊 Listen |
| fashionable /ˈfæʃənəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin/French/English | Characteristic of, influenced by, or representing a current popular trend or style. | 🔊 Listen |
| flexibility /ˌflɛksəˈbɪlɪti/ NOUN Latin | The quality of bending easily without breaking; adaptability. | 🔊 Listen |
| fortuitous /fɔːˈtuːɪtəs/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Happening by accident or chance rather than design; fortunate. | 🔊 Listen |
| frontier /ˈfrʌntɪər/ NOUN Latin/French | A line or border separating two countries. | 🔊 Listen |
| gathering /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/ NOUN Old English | An assembly or meeting, especially one held for a specific purpose. | 🔊 Listen |
| gradual /ˈɡrædʒuəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Taking place or progressing slowly or by degrees. | 🔊 Listen |
| guideline /ˈɡaɪdlaɪn/ NOUN French/English | A general rule, principle, or piece of advice. | 🔊 Listen |
| heritage /ˈhɛrɪtɪdʒ/ NOUN Latin/French | Valued objects and qualities such as historic buildings and cultural traditions passed down from previous generations. | 🔊 Listen |
| humorous /ˈhjuːmərəs/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Causing lighthearted laughter and amusement; comic. | 🔊 Listen |
| ignorance /ˈɪɡnərəns/ NOUN Latin/French | Lack of knowledge or information. | 🔊 Listen |
| imperative /ɪmˈpɛrətɪv/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Of vital importance; crucial. | 🔊 Listen |
| impossible /ɪmˈpɒsəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Not able to occur, exist, or be done. | 🔊 Listen |
| indefatigable /ˌɪndɪˈfætɪɡəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Of a person or their efforts persisting tirelessly. | 🔊 Listen |
| infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃər/ NOUN Latin/French | The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. | 🔊 Listen |
| innovate /ˈɪnəveɪt/ VERB Latin | To make changes in something established, especially by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. | 🔊 Listen |
| instruct /ɪnˈstrʌkt/ VERB Latin | To direct or command someone to do something, or to teach someone a subject. | 🔊 Listen |
| investigate /ɪnˈvɛstɪɡeɪt/ VERB Latin | To carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of an incident, allegation, or academic question. | 🔊 Listen |
| isolate /ˈaɪsəleɪt/ VERB Latin/Italian/French | To place apart or alone; separate from others. | 🔊 Listen |
| knowledgeable /ˈnɒlɪdʒəbəl/ ADJECTIVE Old English/English | Intelligent and well informed. | 🔊 Listen |
| length /lɛŋθ/ NOUN Old English | The measurement or extent of something from end to end. | 🔊 Listen |
| locate /ləʊˈkeɪt/ VERB Latin | To discover the exact place or position of. | 🔊 Listen |
| luxurious /lʌɡˈʒʊəriəs/ ADJECTIVE Latin/French | Extremely comfortable, elegant, or enjoyable, especially in a way that involves great expense. | 🔊 Listen |
| marvel /ˈmɑːvəl/ VERB Latin/French | To be filled with wonder or astonishment. | 🔊 Listen |
| memorandum /ˌmɛməˈrændəm/ NOUN Latin | A written message in business or diplomacy. | 🔊 Listen |
| meteor /ˈmiːtiər/ NOUN Greek | A small body of matter from outer space that enters the earth's atmosphere, becoming incandescent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light. | 🔊 Listen |
| mobile /ˈməʊbaɪl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Able to move or be moved freely or easily. | 🔊 Listen |
| moral /ˈmɒrəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character. | 🔊 Listen |
| nebulous /ˈnɛbjʊləs/ ADJECTIVE Latin | In the form of a cloud or haze; hazy, vague, or ill-defined.neglect | 🔊 Listen |
| nostalgia /nɒˈstældʒə/ NOUN Greek | A sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past. | 🔊 Listen |
| objective /əbˈdʒɛktɪv/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. | 🔊 Listen |
| occur /əˈkɜːr/ VERB Latin | To happen; to take place. | 🔊 Listen |
| onomatopoeia /ˌɒnəmætəˈpiːə/ NOUN Greek | The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. | 🔊 Listen |
| organic /ɔːˈɡænɪk/ ADJECTIVE Greek/Latin | Relating to or derived from living matter. | 🔊 Listen |
| overlap /ˌəʊvəˈlæp/ VERB English | To extend over so as to cover partly. | 🔊 Listen |
| paranoia /ˌpærəˈnɔɪə/ NOUN Greek | A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance. | 🔊 Listen |
| patriot /ˈpeɪtriət/ NOUN Greek/Latin/French | A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors. | 🔊 Listen |
| perplex /pəˈplɛks/ VERB Latin | To cause someone to feel completely baffled or confused. | 🔊 Listen |
| photography /fəˈtɒɡrəfi/ NOUN Greek | The art or practice of taking and processing photographs. | 🔊 Listen |
| positive /ˈpɒzətɪv/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Consisting in or characterized by the presence rather than the absence of distinguishing features; constructive, optimistic, or confident. | 🔊 Listen |
| prefer /prɪˈfɜːr/ VERB Latin/French | To like one thing or person better than another or others. | 🔊 Listen |
| previous /ˈpriːviəs/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Existing or occurring before in time or order. | 🔊 Listen |
| professor /prəˈfɛsər/ NOUN Latin | A teacher of the highest rank in a college or university. | 🔊 Listen |
| pronunciation /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The way in which a word is pronounced. | 🔊 Listen |
| psychology /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/ NOUN Greek | The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. | 🔊 Listen |
| quantitative /ˈkwɒntɪtətɪv/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity of something rather than its quality. | 🔊 Listen |
| radiation /ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles which cause ionization. | 🔊 Listen |
| recent /ˈriːsənt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Having happened, begun, or been done only a short time ago. | 🔊 Listen |
| refrigerator /rɪˈfrɪdʒəreɪtər/ NOUN Latin | An appliance or compartment which is artificially kept cool and used to store food and drink. | 🔊 Listen |
| reiterate /riːˈɪtəreɪt/ VERB Latin | To say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity. | 🔊 Listen |
| reluctant /rɪˈlʌktənt/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Unwilling and hesitant; disinclined. | 🔊 Listen |
| renovation /ˌrɛnəˈveɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The action of renovating a building or structure. | 🔊 Listen |
| resent /rɪˈzɛnt/ VERB Latin/French | To feel bitterness or indignation at a circumstance, action, or person. | 🔊 Listen |
| resolve /rɪˈzɒlv/ VERB Latin | To settle or find a solution to a problem, dispute, or contentious matter. | 🔊 Listen |
| reverse /rɪˈvɜːs/ VERB Latin/French | To move backward; to make something the opposite of what it was. | 🔊 Listen |
| rumor /ˈruːmər/ NOUN Latin | A currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth. | 🔊 Listen |
| scholastic /skəˈlæstɪk/ ADJECTIVE Greek/Latin | Of or concerning schools and education. | 🔊 Listen |
| sensational /sɛnˈseɪʃənəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Causing great public interest and excitement. | 🔊 Listen |
| shelter /ˈʃɛltər/ NOUN English | A place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. | 🔊 Listen |
| solid /ˈsɒlɪd/ ADJECTIVE Latin/French | Firm and stable in shape; not liquid or fluid. | 🔊 Listen |
| sporadic /spəˈrædɪk/ ADJECTIVE Greek/Latin | Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated. | 🔊 Listen |
| subordinate /səˈbɔːdɪnət/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Lower in rank or position. | 🔊 Listen |
| superior /suːˈpɪəriər/ ADJECTIVE Latin/French | Higher in station, rank, or quality. | 🔊 Listen |
| suspicion /səˈspɪʃən/ NOUN Latin/French | A feeling or thought that something is possible, likely, or true. | 🔊 Listen |
| tantalize /ˈtæntəlaɪz/ VERB Greek | To tease or torment someone with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable. | 🔊 Listen |
| tendency /ˈtɛndənsi/ NOUN Latin | An inclination toward a particular characteristic or type of behavior. | 🔊 Listen |
| tradition /trəˈdɪʃən/ NOUN Latin | The transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. | 🔊 Listen |
| treacherous /ˈtrɛtʃərəs/ ADJECTIVE French | Guilty of or involving betrayal or deception; hazardous because of presenting hidden dangers. | 🔊 Listen |
| ubiquitous /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Present, appearing, or found everywhere. | 🔊 Listen |
| unprecedented /ʌnˈprɛsɪdɛntɪd/ ADJECTIVE Latin/French/English | Never done or known before. | 🔊 Listen |
| validate /ˈvælɪdeɪt/ VERB Latin/French | To check or prove the accuracy of something. | 🔊 Listen |
| verisimilitude /ˌvɛrɪsɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/ NOUN Latin | The appearance of being true or real. | 🔊 Listen |
| visual /ˈvɪʒʊəl/ ADJECTIVE Latin | Relating to seeing or sight. | 🔊 Listen |
| warranted /ˈwɒrəntɪd/ ADJECTIVE Germanic/French | Justified or necessary. | 🔊 Listen |
| wonderful /ˈwʌndəfʊl/ ADJECTIVE Old English | Inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvelous. | 🔊 Listen |
Frequently Asked Questions — Level 09 Spelling Bee Word List
How many words are in the Level 09 spelling bee word list?
The Level 09 spelling bee word list contains 193 carefully curated competition words, each with meaning, part of speech, word origin, and IPA pronunciation — matched to the vocabulary difficulty expected at regional and national spelling bee competitions for this level.
How do I hear the correct pronunciation of a word?
Click the 🔊 Listen link next to any word to play a free audio pronunciation clip. Practising with audio helps you learn correct stress and vowel sounds faster than reading IPA pronunciation alone.
Is this spelling bee word list free to use?
Yes. This spelling bee word list, its meanings, pronunciations, and audio clips are completely free to study on SpellingKids, with no sign-in or subscription required.
What information is included for each spelling bee word?
Every entry includes the word spelling, IPA pronunciation, part of speech, word origin (etymology), and a full definition — the same multi-dimensional word knowledge tested at spelling bee competitions.
How can I practice spelling these words, not just read them?
Use the free SpellingKids spelling bee flashcards or typed spelling practice to actively test yourself on this word list with spaced repetition, so hard words come back for review more often.