spelling

1 of 2

noun

spell·​ing ˈspe-liŋ How to pronounce spelling (audio)
Synonyms of spelling
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

spelling

2 of 2

present participle of spell entry 1, spell entry 3, spell entry 5

Examples of spelling in a Sentence

Noun 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
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Noun
This version corrects the spelling of the last name of Sweden’s EU affairs minister. — Lorne Cook, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 This article has been edited to correct the spelling of Philippe Papin's name. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026 Whoever prepared the liner notes for Blue Valentine, however, got the spelling wrong, crediting ‘Da Willie Gonga’ on three tracks on the album. — Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 Explore See latest videos, charts and news In a short video, Tyler, 78, climbs a ladder outside the famed Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to affix some letters to its iconic marquee, with Halfin along to help with the spelling. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spelling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spelling was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing spelling

Rhymes for spelling

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Browse Nearby Words

spellican
spelling
spelling bee
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Cite this Entry

“Spelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spelling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

spelling

noun
spell·​ing
ˈspel-iŋ
: the forming of words from letters
also : the letters composing a word

More from Merriam-Webster on spelling

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