Check out these seven words that are the favorites of contestants participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
1. Aeschyleanpart of speech: adjective
origin: This word is from a Greek name.
definition: of, relating to, or suggestive of the Greek tragic poet Aeschylus.
sentence: The Aeschylean chorus plays an important role in the plot of the tragedy.
2. agathokakologicalpart of speech: adjective
origin: This word consists of three Greek parts plus an English combining form.
definition: composed of both good and evil.
sentence: Utopian communities have never flourished in this agathokakological world in which we live.
3. Weissnichtwopart of speech: noun
origin: This word is from a German phrase that became a literary geographical name.
definition: an indefinite, unknown, or imaginary place.
sentence: Fredricka apologized for her mistake and commented that her mind had been adrift in some Weissnichtwo.
4. humuhumunukunukuapuaapart of speech: noun
origin: This word is from an originally Hawaiian word.
definition: a small Hawaiian triggerfish.
sentence: The humuhumunukunukuapuaa is the unofficial state fish of Hawaii.
5. pfeffernusspart of speech: noun
origin: This word is from an originally German word.
definition: a small hard highly spiced cookie made traditionally for the Christmas holidays.
sentence: The aroma of pfeffernuss in the oven brought back memories of Christmas to the old man.
6. rijsttafelpart of speech: noun
origin: This word is from a Dutch element plus a Latin-derived Dutch element.
definition: an Indonesian midday meal consisting chiefly of rice to which are added small portions of a wide variety of meats and vegetables, fish, chicken, fruit, eggs, curries, pickles, and condiments.
sentence: The rijsttafel is an excellent way to sample a great variety of Indonesian dishes.
7. triskaidekaphobiapart of speech: noun
origin: This word is from an originally Greek word.
definition: fear of the number 13.
sentence: Because of his triskaidekaphobia, Alton called the hotel’s front desk and asked to be moved from room 1313.
--Source: Scripps National Spelling Bee
