spelling

Noun

spelling (countable and uncountable, plural spellings)

1. (uncountable) The act, practice, ability, or subject of forming words with letters, or of reading the letters of words; orthography.
   • For the practical use of spelling comes in writing.1904, Andrew Dickson White, Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White, page 43
   • Spelling was invented by man and, like other human inventions, is capable of development and improvement by man in the direction of simplicity, economy, and efficiency.1920, Henry Gallup Paine, Handbook of Simplified Spelling, New York: Simplified Spelling Board, page 1
2. (uncountable) The manner of spelling of words; correct spelling.
   • Because Elizabethan spelling was fluid, editors feel free to ‘modernize’ (correct) the spelling in the quartos and the Folio. But how is one to spell Rosencratz or Guildenstern, where the spelling varies, not only from text to text, but even within texts?2006, William Shakespeare, edited by Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor, Hamlet, London: Arden Shakespeare, page 88
3. (countable) A specific spelling of a word.
   • [p 253] *excellent Q2’s ‘extent’ is generally dismissed as an error, probably a mis-reading of ‘exlent’, a common spelling at this time.
     [p 269] reverend The spellings ‘reuerent’ (Q2) and ‘Reuerend’ (F) were interchangeable at this time.
     [p 466] Guildensterne and Rosincrance are F’s consistent...2006, Wm. Shakespeare, Ann Thompson and Neil Taylor, eds., Hamlet, London: Arden Shakespeare
4. (US, dated, rare) A spelling test or spelling bee.
   • The boys were anxious for a spelling in the evening but I said no.1860, Oscar Lawrence Jackson, The Colonel's Diary: Journals Kept Before and During the Civil War [1922], Sharon, Penn., p 23
   • How her face ust to look, in the twilight, / As I tuck her to spellin’; and she / Kep’ a-hummin’ that song ’tel I ast her, / Pine-blank, ef she ever missed me!1889, James Whitcomb Riley, “A’ Old Played-Out Song”, in Pipes O' Pan at Zekesbury, Indianapolis, Ind.: Bowen-Merrill, page 45
5. A choice of notation among enharmonic equivalents for the same pitch.
   • The spelling of a pitch is strongly influenced by its harmonic and melodic context.2004, Joshua Stoddard, Christopher Raphael, Paul E. Utgoff, Well-Tempered Spelling: A Key-Invariant Pitch Spelling Algorithm, page 1