2017 Spell Ball Word List
abeyant – temporarily suspended
censor – an official who examines material to
suppress it
accessible – easy to approach
accordion – a musical instrument
chameleon – a lizard that can, as protection,
change color
acquiesce – to agree, submit
chattel – personal property
appaloosa – a breed of horse
chauffeur – a person employed to drive an
automobile
appellate – of or pertaining to appeals
codeine – used as a sedative or analgesic
armoire – a large wardrobe
colonel (KERnul)– an officer in the Army or Air
Force
atrium – the central room of an ancient Roman
house
conscious – being aware of one's own existence
baize – felt covering for billiard tables
consensus – a majority of opinion
balloon – an inflated bag
copacetic – completely satisfactory
barrette – a clasp used to hold a girl's hair in place
counsel – advice
bazaar (buhZAHR) – a marketplace, especially in
the Middle East
crescent – a segment of a ring tapering to points
beneficence – act of doing good
croquet – a game played by knocking balls through
metal wickets
benign (beNINE) – having a kindly disposition
bobbin – a reel upon which yarn or thread is wound
cymbal – a concave plate that produces a sharp,
ringing sound
deceive – to mislead by a false appearance or
statement
bough (bow like wow)– a branch of a tree
bouquet – a bunch of flowers
defendant – a person against whom a charge is
brought in court
butte (byoot)– an isolated hill or mountain rising
abruptly
desiccate – to dry thoroughly
calendar – a table of days and weeks in a year
dhow – an Arab sailing vessel
campaign – a military operation for a specific
objective
dialogue – conversation with two or more people
carafe (kaRAFF)– a wide-mouthed bottle used to
serve beverages
dictionary – a book containing a selection of words
or a language
cataclysm – any violent upheaval
disappear – to cease to be seen
cellist (CHELList)– a person who plays a cello
discernible – capable of being distinguished
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2017 Spell Ball Word List
doubt – to be uncertain about
geyser – a hot spring that sends up jets of water
and steam
drought – a period of dry weather
giraffe – a long-necked African animal
eerie – uncanny, weird
glaucescent – a light, bluish green
embarrass – to cause confusion and shame to
governor – the chief executive of a state
entourage (ahntooRAZH)– a group of attendants or
associates
enzyme – one of various proteins
gourmet – a connoisseur of fine food and drink
grammar – the study of the way sentences are
constructed
ephemeral – lasting a short time
euchre – a game of cards
guild – an organization of people with related
interests
eulogy – a speech in praise of a dead person
hallow – to make holy
facade (fuhSAHD)– the front of a building
halve – to divide into two equal parts
facetious – not to be taken seriously
harangue – a scolding or intense verbal attack
fasciation – the art of bandaging
havoc – great destruction or devastation
fatigue – weariness from exertion
hearth – the floor of a fireplace
feasible – capable of being done
hegemony – influence of one nation
feint – a movement made to deceive an opponent
heifer – a cow over one year old that has not
produced a calf
fight – a battle or combat
helix – a spiral
finicky – difficult to please
hippopotamus – called the river horse, from Africa
fledgling – a young bird or an inexperienced person
honest – honorable in intentions and principles
flourish – to thrive
horizon – the apparent border between earth and
sky
fricassee – meat browned in sauce
furlough – a leave of absence granted to an
enlisted person
hyacinth – a plant of the lily family
gallimaufry – hodgepodge, jumble
hygiene the science that deals with preservation of
health
gambol – to skip about, as in dancing
hyperbole – obvious exaggeration
gerbil – a small, burrowing rodent
hypocrisy – pretending to something that one
doesn't believe
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2017 Spell Ball Word List
illegible – hard to read or decipher because of poor
handwriting
lachrymal – pertaining to tears
lacquer – a protective coating
illiteracy – a lack of ability to read and write
language – a body of words common to a people
impasse – a deadlock
laugh – to express pleasure audibly
incessant – continuing without interruption
incognito – to have one's identity concealed
lecture – a speech read or delivered before an
audience
inevitable – something that can't be avoided
legerdemain – sleight of hand, trickery
innate – something that exists in one from birth
leisure – freedom from the demands of work
instinct – an inborn pattern of activity or tendency
to action
leopard – a large, spotted cat of Asia or Africa
liaison – the contact maintained between groups
intercede – to act in behalf of someone in difficulty
lieutenant – a military rank
inveigle – entice by flattery
limousine – a large car, especially one driven by a
chauffeur
invincible – incapable of being conquered or
defeated
lucid – easily understood
island – land entirely surrounded by water
lyricist – a person who writes the words for a song
italicize – to print in italic type
mahogany – a tree or a reddish-brown color
jaguar – the largest cat in the western hemisphere
maintenance – the act of keeping things in good
order
jalousie – window made of glass slats
janitor – a person employed to keep things clean
malleable – capable of being shaped by hammering
or pressure
jeopardy – risk of loss, harm, death, or injury
mantel – a construction framing the opening of a
fireplace
journal – a daily record
judicious – discreet or prudent
marina – a boat basin offering dockage for small
craft
junction – a place where things are joined
karate – a method of self-defense
martyr – a person who suffers death rather than
give up a belief
kayak – an Eskimo canoe
maze – a confusing network of paths or passages
khaki – dull yellowish brown
mechanical – having to do with machinery
knight – a mounted soldier in the Middle Ages
mellifluous – smoothly flowing
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2017 Spell Ball Word List
memoir – a personal record based on observation
orchid – a flower of a plant of temperate and
tropical regions
meticulous – taking extreme care
militia – a body of citizens enrolled for military
service
oxymoron – apparently contradictory
pageant – an elaborate public spectacle
miscellaneous – of mixed character
palate – the roof of the mouth
mischievous – maliciously or playfully annoying
panegyric – lofty oration of praise
mnemonic – aiding the memory
papaya – a large, yellow, melonlike fruit
moccasin – a soft leather shoe, often handmade
papyrus – plant native to the Nile
molasses – a thick syrup produced during the
refining of sugar
parallel – lines which are equidistant, never meeting
monarch – a hereditary sovereign
parfait – a dessert of ice cream and fruit, or ice
cream and syrup
morale – the positive emotional and mental
condition of a person
parsec – 3.26 light years distant
mosquito – an insect that bites, some passing on
certain diseases
particle – a tiny or very small bit
patience – the quality of being patient
myriad – a very great or indefinitely great number
pedestrian – a person who goes on foot
naive (nah-EEV)– unsophisticated or ingenuous
perceive – to become aware of
necessary – being essential; indispensable
personnel – persons employed in a place of work
novice – a person who is new to something
petite – short or diminutive
nutritious – providing nourishment, especially to a
high degree
phrase – a series of words acting as a unit in a
sentence
oblique – slanting; sloping
obvious – easily understood or recognizable
piccolo – a small flute an octave higher than an
ordinary flute
omission – the act of omitting, leaving out
piece – a separate or limited quantity of something
omniscience – infinite knowledge
plateau – a level land area, raised above the
adjoining land
onerous – burdensome or troublesome
poise – composure
opaque – not allowing light to pass through
populace – the common people of a nation
orator – a public speaker
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2017 Spell Ball Word List
precede – to go before
toboggan – a long, narrow, flat-bottomed sled
precious – of high price or great value
toque – a close-fitting hat for a woman
raccoon – an animal with a masklike stripe across
the eyes
triskaidekaphobia – fear of #13
refugee – a person who flees his country in time of
upheaval or war
ukulele – a small, guitarlike instrument
unanswerable – not capable of being answered
reservoir – a place where water is collected or
stored
vacuum – a space entirely devoid of matter
rhyme – a word agreeing with another word in
terminal sound
vociferous – crying out noisily
yacht – a private cruising vessel
scholar – a learned person
yurt – a tentlike Mongol dwelling
science – a branch of knowledge or study
widgeon – a common duck
scissors – a cutting instrument
zephyr – a gentle breeze
seize – to take hold of forcibly
zucchetto – Roman Catholic skullcap
shepherd – a person who tends or guards sheep
sheriff – the law-enforcement officer of a county
shield – a piece of armor worn on the arm for
defensive purposes
sincere – free of deceit or falseness
soccer – football as it is played around the world
souvenir – a usually inexpensive reminder of a
place visited
stationary – standing still, not moving
tariff – imposed duties on imports
taupe (tohp) – a brownish gray
terrace – a raised level with a vertical or sloping
front or sides
tetrabrach – word of four short syllables
thalassic – pertaining to oceans
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