The 2008 Senior Spelling Bee is now history. Eleven teams participated, and we went through nine rounds. Congratulations to everyone who participated.
The last two teams standing were the Rotary team (John Dew, Leon Michaels, and John McCarthy) and the Dog Ears Bookstore team (Pam Grath, Trudy Carpenter, and Susan Cordes).
In round nine, the Rotary team incorrectly spelled lackadaisical, which, by the rules, then went to the Dog Ears team. They spelled it correctly, then spelled catafalque to validate their win.
Here is a list of the words actually used in this year’s contest.
accordion
a musical instrument
compatible
capable of existing together in harmony
furlong
distance of 1/8 of a statute mile
occurrence
a happening, event, or incident
spectacle
an eye-catching or dramatic public display
category
a division with a classification
defoliate
to deprive of leaves
fidgeting
moving restlessly
lieutenant
a rank of commissioned officer
mannequin
a form representing the human figure
referred
sent or directed for treatment
derogatory
detracting from one's character
fumigate
to destroy pests with a gas
hitchhike
to obtain free rides from passing vehicles
knowledgeable
having or showing intelligence
pestilence
a contagious or infectious disease
recommendation
something that expresses suitability
besiege
to surround with armed forces
delirious
affected with confusion and hallucinations
questionnaire
a set of questions to obtain information
reminiscent
tending to remind
sheriff
chief law enforcement officer for a county
fluorescent
emission of visible light
misspelled
spelled incorrectly
rescission
the act of making void
septennial
occurring every 7 years
delicatessen
store where ready-made food products are sold
eligible
qualified to participate or be chosen
pneumonia
a condition of the lungs caused by infection
zombie
West Indies: the walking dead
cancellation
to call off a prior arrangement (ticket/hotel room)
fungible
interchangeable; negotiable in kind
preferred
liked more
recalcitrant
stubborn; obstinately defiant
susceptible
open, subject, or unresistent to some stimulus
archetype
original model from which things develop
broccoli
a vegetable with a green head of dense florets
reconnaissance
military exploration of an area
vengeance
retribution
changeable
liable to change
contumacious
disobedient or rebellious
tenebrous
dark and gloomy
buccaneer
a pirate
colloquy
a formal conversation
exuberance
quality of being exuberant
rhythm
regular recurrence
cassock
long ecclesiastical garment
tracheotomy
surgical incision to aid breathing
abscess
localized collection of pus in part of the body
accessible
reachable; open to contact
bivouac
a temporary encampment, often unsheltered
caffeine
a bitter white alkaloid found in coffee
connoisseur
person with expert knowledge, discriminating taste
deterrent
that which deters
banns
public notice of a proposed marriage
apogee
point in lunar orbit most distant from the center of the earth
bacilli
rod-shaped bacteria
recapitulate
repeat in concise form
bibulous
inclined to drink intoxicating beverages
lyceum
hall for public lectures, concerts
chimera
fanciful mental illusion/fabrication
heuristic
learning through discovery by students
whole,
reverse
Hands is a term for sailors; the law for a cop
lackadaisical
lacking spirit or interest
catafalque ornamental casket platform, used for state funerals