Ansun Sujoe, a seventh-grader from Fort Worth Texas and Sriram Hathway, an eighth-grader from Painted Post, New York were crowned co-winners of the 87th Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 28, 2014. It is the first time since 1962, that there has been a tie in the competition’s history (a tie also occurred in 1950 and 1957). Sujoe and Hathway spelled their way to victory, beating out 279 other spellers from eight countries, by correctly spelling all their words correctly, and then correctly spelling all 25 of the tie-breaker words. As often is the case in these competitions — the winning words were more arcane than any SAT words — even know-it-all Siri would be stumped. Below is the list of spelling bee winning words, and their definitions, from recent years.
2014
feuilleton: the section of a European newspaper that entertains the general reader
stichomythia: a dialogue in which two actors speak alternate lines of verse
2013
knaidel: a type of dumpling, also known as a matzo ball
2012
guetapens: an ambush or trap
2011
cymotrichous: having wavy hair
2010
stromuhr: a medical device that measures the speed of blood flow through an artery
2009
Laodicean: a person with a half-hearted attitude toward politics or religion
2008
guerdon: a reward
2007
serrefine: (yes, another medical device) small forceps used to clamp an artery
2006
Ursprache: a reconstructed language
2005
appoggiatura: a type of musical note
Read related posts: Why is it Called a Spelling Bee?
Rare Anatomy Words
Words Oddities: Fun with Vowels
What Rhymes with Orange
For further reading: spellingbee.com/bee-blog/bee/ansun-sriram-first-co-champions-52-years
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Scripps_National_Spelling_Bee_champions
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