Words Actually Used in the 2005 Senior Spelling Bee

aberrant                      deviating from the norm

accelerate                  add to the speed or quicken the motion

accessible                 capable of being reached or easily approached

acrimonious               caustic, biting, bitter

amateur                      not professional; inexperienced

annihilate                    destroy a considerable portion of

asthmatic                   caused by or affected with labored breathing

bailiff                           court officer who keeps order in the court

bludgeon                    a short stick used as a weapon

buoyant                       capable of floating

brochure                     pamphlet or booklet

camellia                      any of a genus of shrubs or trees of the tea family

capricious                  not guided by steady judgement, intent, or purpose

caterpillar                   the elongated wormlike larva of a butterfly or moth   

clientele                      a body of clients

colloquy                      high-level serious discussion

colossal                      characterized by extremely great size or effect

conscientious            honest and scrupulous

convertible                 capable of being changed

corroborate                confirm; provide evidence of the truth of

daffodil                       a bulbous plant with yellow flowers

decaffeinate               to extract caffeine from

defensible                  capable of being defended

derogatory                 detracting from one's character

desiccate                   dry up or cause to dry up; deprive of moisture

desperate                  having lost hope; in despair                                  

diocese                      the district in which a bishop has churchly authority

dissipated                  dispelled, dissolved

dumbbell                    exercise device that consists of round weights        
                                    joined by a bar

echelon                       one of a series of levels or grades in an
                                    organization

edifice                         a building, esp. a large structure

embarrassment         confusion or discomposure of mind       

escargot                     snail prepared as food

extirpate                     pull out by the roots or stem

feign                            to pretend

fluorescent                 emitting electromagnetic radiation in the form of
                                    visible light

frangible                     capable of being broken

gangrene                    local death of soft tissues resulting from loss of
                                    blood supply

gauche                       lacking in social graces

gauge                         to measure precisely

ghastly                        terrifyingly horrible to the senses

giraffe                         a long-necked African  ruminant mammal

glyph                           symbolic figure carved in relief

grievous                     causing or indicative of severe physical pain or
                                    suffering

hallucination               perception of objects with no reality

handiwork                  work done personally

harangue                    ranting speech or writing

herbaceous                having the characteristics of a nonwoody plant

herpetology                study of  reptiles and amphibians

hitchhike                     to obtain free rides from passing vehicles

horripilation                a bristling of the hair of the head; gooseflesh

hyperbole                   extravagant exaggeration

impasse                     barrier or deadlock

incessant                    continuing without interruption

incorrigible                 bad beyond the possibility of rehabilitation

inveigh                        protest bitterly or violently

irascible                     marked by hot temper and resentful anger

isosceles                    having two equal sides—used of a triangle

jewelry                        objects of precious metal often set with gems

kaleidoscope             instrument that contains loose fragments of colored
                                    glass that change configuration

knowledgeable          having or showing intelligence

labyrinth                      a structure full of intricate passageways

lackadaisical             lacking life, spirit, or zest

liaison                         a close bond or connection

loquacious                 full of excessive talk

maelstrom                  a powerful water current that usually moves in a
                                    circular pattern with great rapidity

maintenance             support; upkeep

malleable                   capable of being extended or shaped by beating
                                    with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers

mezzanine                  the lowest balcony in a theater

misogynistic               given to a hatred of women

nuchal                         of or relating to the nape, the back part of the neck

obeisance                  an attitude of respect; deference

obsequious                meanly or servilely attentive

occurrence                 a happening, event, or incident

oscillatory                   characterized by a backward and forward motion,
                                    like a pendulum

panacea                     a remedy for all ills or difficulties

panache                     dash or flamboyance in style or action

paroxysm                   a sudden, violent, and uncontrollable action or
                                    occurrence of emotion

peirastic                     fitted for trial; experimental

pestilence                  a contagious or infectious disease

pharaoh                      a ruler of ancient Egypt

porcelain                    a hard, fine-grained, white ceramic ware

psilosis                       a falling out of hair

pusillanimous            lacking courage; timid

ratatouille                   a stew made of eggplant, tomatoes, green
                                    peppers, squash,and sometimes meat

receipt                        a written acknowledgement of purchase

rhythm                         the aspect of music comprising all the elements
                                    that relate to forward movement

scurrilous                    vulgar and evil

seiche                         an oscillation of the surface of a lake or  landlocked
                                    sea

silhouette                    a representation of the outlines of an object filled in
                                    with black or some other uniform color

sovereignty                supreme power, esp. over a body politic