Info
| Stage | Word Count | Value |
| Preliminaries | 24 | 1 point each |
| Spellers Participating | Spellers Eliminated | Spellers Advancing | Percent Advancing |
| 519 | 0 | 519 | 100.0% |
| Description | Target Score |
The Preliminaries consisted of 12 scored spelling words and 12 scored vocabulary questions which counted as Round One, one scored vocabulary question for Round Two and one scored vocabulary question for Round Three. Spellers could earn a maximum of 30 points for correct spellings and responses on the Preliminaries Test. These are the Round One words only; Rounds 2 and 3 Vocabulary are worth 3 points each. | To advance to the Finals in 2018, you’d have needed to earn at least 22 out of 30 possible points on the Preliminaries Test (including Round 2 Vocabulary and Round 3 Vocabulary) and spell correctly in Round 2 and Round 3. That would bring you to 28 out of 36 total points possible in the Preliminaries. |
Spelling
Test Questions
| 1. | A. barreness | B. barrenness | C. baronness | D. baroness | E. barenness |
| The first part of this word is from a word probably of non-Indo-European origin that went through French before becoming English, and the second part is an English combining form. |
| (noun) | the quality or state of being deficient in producing vegetation. |
| Few creatures can live in the _____ of the desert. |
| Please pay careful attention to the definition and part of speech. This word has a homonym or could be confused with a word that has a similar pronunciation. |
| 2. | A. pestalential | B. pestalencial | C. pestalentual | D. pestilential | E. pestulential |
| This word is from Latin. |
| (adjective) | causing or tending to cause a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is devastating. |
| During the horrific period of the transatlantic slave trade, many Africans were transported to the New World in cramped, _____ ships. |
| 3. | A. remitent | B. remittunt | C. remitant | D. remittent | E. remittant |
| This word is from a Latin word. |
| (adjective) | of a disease : characterized by alternating periods of abatement and increase of symptoms. |
| Corinne’s _____ fever only subsided after she was able to stay in bed recovering for an entire three-day weekend. |
| Please pay careful attention to the definition and part of speech. This word has a homonym or could be confused with a word that has a similar pronunciation. |
| 4. | A. patyphysics | B. patty-fiziks | C. patophysics | D. pattiphysics | E. pataphysics |
| This word was formed in French from Greek. |
| (plural noun) | intricate and whimsical nonsense intended as a parody of science. |
| The head of the science department was amused that she was listed as “Director of _____” in the April Fools’ Day issue of the school newspaper. |
| 5. | A. trogladite | B. troglodyte | C. troglydyte | D. trauglodite | E. troglydite |
| This word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin. |
| (noun) | a member of a primitive people dwelling in caves or pits. |
| While spelunking, Zan and Patrick stumbled onto the bones of a _____. |
| 6. | A. flagellate | B. flagelate | C. phlagyllate | D. flagilate | E. flagillate |
| This word is from Latin. |
| (adjective) | having or bearing long tapering processes that project singly or in groups from a cell or microorganism and which are the primary organs of motion of many algae, bacteria and zoospores. |
| Michael hovered over the microscope, intrigued by the motility of the _____ green algae on the slide. |
| Please pay careful attention to the definition and part of speech. This word has a homonym or could be confused with a word that has a similar pronunciation. |
| 7. | A. orpement | B. orpament | C. orpiment | D. orpimant | E. orpomant |
| Originally Latin, this word went through French before becoming English. |
| (noun) | an orange to yellow mineral consisting of arsenic trisulfide and used in fireworks and as a pigment. |
| _____ is used to produce yellow pigment for painting. |
| 8. | A. theremin | B. therimen | C. theramin | D. theramine | E. theramen |
| This word is from a Russian name. |
| (noun) | a purely melodic instrument of the electronic family typically played by moving the right hand between two projecting electrodes with the left hand controlling dynamics and articulation. |
| Sheldon’s constant playing of the _____ annoyed his roommate Leonard. |
| Please pay careful attention to the definition and part of speech. This word has a homonym or could be confused with a word that has a similar pronunciation. |
| 9. | A. epypodeale | B. epapodiale | C. epipodeale | D. epipodiale | E. epipodialy |
| This word was formed in Latin from two originally Greek parts plus a Latin combining form. |
| (noun) | any one of the bones of either the forearm or the lower leg. |
| The football player suffered a broken _____ in his left leg. |
| 10. | A. teridophyte | B. territaphite | C. pteridaphite | D. cteridophyte | E. pteridophyte |
| This word was formed from two originally Greek parts. |
| (noun) | any of a division of vascular plants including the ferns, horsetails and club mosses. |
| A _____ has neither flowers nor seeds, but reproduces and disperses through spores. |
| 11. | A. bocconcinni | B. boccancini | C. boconcinni | D. bocconcini | E. boconcini |
| This word was formed in Italian from originally Latin parts. |
| (plural noun) | small balls of fresh mozzarella. |
| For the dinner party, Maria prepared a variation on the traditional caprese salad using _____ and cherry tomatoes. |
| 12. | A. oeumolpique | B. eu-molle-pique | C. oeumalpique | D. oeil-mal-pique | E. eumolpique |
| This word is from French, which formed it from an originally Greek word and an originally Greek part. |
| (noun) | a poetic measure consisting of two unrhymed iambic lines with 12 syllables apiece and featuring alternating stressed and unstressed endings. |
| The _____ was first devised by the French poet and composer Antoine Fabre d’Olivet in the late 18th century. |
Correct Answers
| 1. | B. barrenness |
| 2. | D. pestilential |
| 3. | D. remittent |
| 4. | E. pataphysics |
| 5. | B. troglodyte |
| 6. | A. flagellate |
| 7. | C. orpiment |
| 8. | A. theremin |
| 9. | D. epipodiale |
| 10. | E. pteridophyte |
| 11. | D. bocconcini |
| 12. | E. eumolpique |
Words
| grok |
| dissilient |
| sciapodous |
| rucervine |
| epollicate |
| indiscerptible |
| sobornost |
| passim |
| avoirdupois |
| zuppa inglese |
| diel |
| Ljubljana |
Vocabulary
Test Questions
| 13. If something is insuperable it is: |
| A. | not needed |
| B. | delayed indefinitely |
| C. | impossible to overcome |
| D. | inedible |
| 14. Items described as chockablock are: |
| A. | rectangular |
| B. | crowded together |
| C. | made of concrete |
| D. | indistinguishable |
| 15. An explicit statement is: |
| A. | ambiguous |
| B. | false |
| C. | clear |
| D. | pretentious |
| 16. Timocracy is a form of government in which: |
| A. | power passes to a new individual after a fixed period |
| B. | fear of a dictator is the ruling principle |
| C. | multiple people share power |
| D. | love of glory is the ruling principle |
| 17. What is dittography? |
| A. | a method for transcribing music |
| B. | the unintentional repetition of letters when copying by hand |
| C. | the use of non-alphabetic symbols to represent words |
| D. | an artistic technique employing small dots of various colors |
| 18. Which activity would you be most likely to do mano a mano? |
| A. | boxing |
| B. | shaving |
| C. | flying |
| D. | knitting |
| 19. Which would best be described as anfractuous? |
| A. | an unbreakable rock |
| B. | a winding maze |
| C. | a barren field |
| D. | a fruit high in natural sugars |
| 20. Something described as festucine is: |
| A. | celebratory |
| B. | stringy |
| C. | yellow |
| D. | wavy |
| 21. Lalopathy is a disorder of: |
| A. | touch |
| B. | hearing |
| C. | vision |
| D. | speech |
| 22. An aperçu is a: |
| A. | dainty hors d’oeuvre |
| B. | comedy routine |
| C. | piece of embroidered lace |
| D. | swift insight |
| 23. Someone irenical is: |
| A. | striving for harmony |
| B. | moderately angry |
| C. | prone to daydreaming |
| D. | derisive and sarcastic |
| 24. To reticulate means to: |
| A. | divide to form a network |
| B. | make fun of |
| C. | criticize severely |
| D. | retrace one’s steps |
Correct Answers
| 13. If something is insuperable, it is: | Answer: impossible to overcome |
| 14. Items described as chockablock are: | Answer: crowded together |
| 15. An explicit statement is: | Answer: clear |
| 16. Timocracy is a form of government in which: | Answer: love of glory is the ruling principle |
| 17. What is dittography? | Answer: the unintentional repetition of letters when copying by hand |
| 18. Which activity would you be most likely to do mano a mano? | Answer: boxing |
| 19. Which would best be described as anfractuous? | Answer: a winding maze |
| 20. Something described as festucine is: | Answer: yellow |
| 21. Lalopathy is a disorder of: | Answer: speech |
| 22. An aperçu is a: | Answer: swift insight |
| 23. Someone irenical is: | Answer: striving for harmony |
| 24. To reticulate means to: | Answer: divide to form a network |
Words
| insuperable |
| chockablock |
| explicit |
| timocracy |
| dittography |
| mano a mano |
| anfractuous |
| festucine |
| lalopathy |
| aperçu |
| irenical |
| reticulate |
All Words
| Spelling | Vocabulary |
| barrenness | insuperable |
| pestilential | chockablock |
| remittent | explicit |
| pataphysics | timocracy |
| troglodyte | dittography |
| flagellate | mano a mano |
| orpiment | anfractuous |
| theremin | festucine |
| epipodiale | lalopathy |
| pteridophyte | aperçu |
| bocconcini | irenical |
| eumolpique | reticulate |
A sign outside the ballroom where spellers are taking the Preliminaries Test urges passersby to be quiet. (Mark Bowen/Scripps National Spelling Bee)
Round Results