spelling
- 01 A1 Beginner
the act of forming words with the correct letters in the right order.
the process of forming words with letters; the orthographic representation of a language.
Simple“You should check your spelling before you send the email to your boss.”
In context“The teacher noticed that the student's spelling had improved significantly after they started reading more English novels.”
Usageuncountable in this general sense
PitfallI have a bad spelling. I am bad at spelling.When talking about your ability, use 'spelling' as an uncountable activity rather than a countable object.
Synonymsorthography - 02 B1 Intermediate
a particular way that a word is written.
a specific sequence of letters used to represent a word, often used when comparing regional variations.
Simple“The American spelling of 'color' does not have a 'u'.”
In context“The dictionary lists 'organize' as the primary spelling, though 'organise' is also widely accepted in British English.”
Usagecountable in this sense
- 03 C2 Proficiency
the way a musical note is written on a page.
the choice of notation among enharmonic equivalents for the same pitch, such as choosing between F-sharp and G-flat.
Simple“The composer chose a different spelling for the note to make it easier to read.”
In context“Correct enharmonic spelling is essential for performers to understand the underlying harmonic function of a chord within a complex sequence.”
Usagerefers to how a pitch is represented in a specific key
Synonyms
1400s, from spell (verb) + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.