4th Grade Spelling Words

How to practice spelling words

• Hear it, then spell it. Spelling from a word you hear is the real skill. In Owl Test Prep, Owl-y says each word and uses it in a sentence, and you type it.
• Short and often. Ten words a day beats fifty on Friday night. Owl-y keeps a streak so the habit sticks.
• Missed words come back. A word you miss comes back later that day, then again over the next week, until it sticks.
• Look at the tricky part. Most misses are one spot: a double letter, a silent letter, an ending. Say it slowly and find that spot.

Animals (12)

• elephanta huge land animal with a long trunk and large ears
• rhinocerosa large thick-skinned animal with one or two horns on its nose
• hippopotamusa large river animal with a huge mouth and thick skin
• chimpanzeea smart ape that uses tools and lives in forests
• alligatora reptile with a broad snout that lives in swamps
• antelopea graceful grass-eating animal with curved horns
• peacocka male bird with a long tail of bright eyespots
• hedgehoga small spiny animal that curls into a ball
• salamandera small amphibian with a long tail and smooth skin
• orangutana large ape with long reddish hair and long arms
• woodpeckera bird that drills holes in trees with its beak
• lemura tree-dwelling primate with a long striped tail

Food (12)

• casserolea baked dish of many foods cooked together
• cauliflowera white vegetable with a round head of tight florets
• spinacha dark green leafy vegetable rich in iron
• pretzela crunchy baked snack shaped like a loop
• cabbagea round green vegetable with tightly packed leaves
• strawberrya sweet red berry with tiny seeds on its skin
• cupcakea small individual cake, often with frosting
• biscuita small soft bread roll made with baking powder
• gingerbreada spicy brown cake or cookie flavored with ginger
• marshmallowa soft, sweet, puffy candy made from sugar
• puddinga soft creamy dessert that is often chocolate
• cranberrya tart red berry often served at holiday meals

Sports (12)

• athletea person trained to compete in sports or exercise
• tournamenta series of games or contests to find a winner
• competitionan event where people try to win against others
• badmintona game where players hit a shuttlecock over a net
• lacrossea team sport played with a stick that has a net
• archerythe sport of shooting arrows at a target
• obstaclesomething that stands in the way of progress
• endurancethe ability to keep going for a long time
• sportsmanshipfair and kind behavior while playing a game
• dodgeballa game in which players throw balls to hit others
• snowboardinga winter sport of riding down a slope on a board
• cheerleadera person who leads cheers to support a team

Space (12)

• meteoritea piece of rock from space that lands on earth
• supernovaa giant star that explodes at the end of its life
• cosmonauta person trained by a space program to fly in space
• astronomera scientist who studies planets, stars, and galaxies
• planetariuma theater with a dome that shows the night sky
• propulsionthe force that pushes a vehicle forward
• solarrelating to the sun or powered by sunlight
• radiationenergy waves or particles sent out from a source
• exoplaneta planet that orbits a star other than our sun
• spacesuita sealed outfit that keeps an astronaut alive in space
• missionan important task or journey with a clear goal
• gravitationthe force that pulls objects toward each other

Ocean (12)

• aquariuma glass tank or building where water animals are kept
• manateea gentle sea mammal that eats water plants
• stingraya flat fish with a long whip-like tail
• planktontiny plants and animals that float in water
• coastlinethe outline of land where it meets the ocean
• seashorethe land along the edge of the sea
• sedimenttiny bits of sand or mud that settle at the bottom
• marinerelating to the sea and the living things in it
• lagoona shallow pond of salt water near the sea
• schoonera sailing ship with two or more masts
• tsunamia huge ocean wave caused by an undersea earthquake
• trencha deep, narrow valley on the ocean floor

Nature and weather (12)

• glaciera huge slow-moving sheet of ice on land
• drizzlelight rain that falls in small drops
• humiditythe amount of water vapor in the air
• hibernateto spend the winter in a deep sleep
• ecosystema community of living things and their surroundings
• canopythe top layer of branches in a forest
• geysera spring that shoots hot water into the air
• prairiea large flat area of grassland with few trees
• tornadoa spinning windstorm shaped like a funnel
• saplinga young tree that is still small
• bouldera very large rock, often rounded by weather
• marshlow wet land covered with grasses and reeds

Home and family (12)

• refrigeratoran appliance that keeps food cold
• dishwashera machine that washes and dries dirty dishes
• thermostata device that controls the temperature of a room
• laundryclothes and sheets that need washing or were just washed
• mailboxa box where letters and packages are delivered
• carpeta thick woven floor covering for a room
• staircasea set of steps that leads from one floor to another
• chandeliera decorative light fixture hanging from a ceiling
• vacuuma machine that cleans floors by sucking up dirt
• furnacea large heater that warms a whole house
• lullabya soft gentle song sung to help a baby sleep
• cabineta cupboard with doors and shelves for storage

School (12)

• algebraa branch of math that uses letters to stand for numbers
• geometrya branch of math about shapes, lines, and angles
• paragrapha group of sentences about one main idea
• encyclopediaa set of books that explains facts on many subjects
• calendara chart that shows the days, weeks, and months
• cafeteriathe room in a school where students eat lunch
• gymnasiuma large room used for sports and exercise
• sentencea group of words that expresses a complete thought
• punctuationmarks like commas and periods used in writing
• researchcareful study to discover new facts
• textbooka book used to teach a school subject
• quotationthe exact words someone said or wrote

Music and art (12)

• symphonya long musical piece played by a full orchestra
• composera person who writes music
• rehearsala practice session before a performance
• tambourinea small drum with metal jingles on its frame
• percussioninstruments that are played by being hit or shaken
• illustrationa picture that explains or decorates a text
• mosaica picture made from many small colored pieces
• sketchbooka pad of paper for drawing sketches
• sculptoran artist who shapes figures out of stone or clay
• performancea show or act given before an audience
• cartoona funny drawing or animated film
• embroiderydecorative stitching sewn onto cloth

Body and health (12)

• circulationthe movement of blood through the body
• digestionthe process of breaking down food in the body
• ligamenta strong band of tissue that connects two bones
• bicepsthe large muscle at the front of your upper arm
• kidneyan organ that filters waste from the blood
• immuneable to resist sickness and disease
• bandagea strip of cloth used to cover a small cut
• thermometera tool that measures how hot or cold something is
• bloodstreamthe flow of blood moving through the body
• esophagusthe tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach
• pulsethe regular beat you can feel in your wrist
• nutrienta substance in food that helps the body grow

Places and travel (12)

• landmarka famous building or place that people recognize
• monumenta statue or building built to honor an event or person
• plateaua high flat area of land
• archipelagoa group of islands clustered together in one area
• metropolisa very large and busy city with many people
• territoryan area of land that is under someone's control
• tropicalrelating to the hot wet area near the equator
• expresswaya wide road built for fast travel between cities
• hemisphereone half of the earth, north or south of the equator
• equatoran imaginary line around the middle of the earth
• waterwaya river, canal, or other channel for boats
• avenuea wide street in a city, often lined with trees

Science (12)

• hypothesisan educated guess that can be tested
• particlea very small piece of matter
• electrona tiny negative particle that moves around an atom
• magnetismthe force that makes some metals attract or repel
• photosynthesishow plants use sunlight to make their own food
• densityhow much mass is packed into a certain space
• frictiona force that slows down objects that rub together
• temperaturehow hot or cold something is measured
• microorganisma living thing too small to see without a microscope
• chlorophyllthe green substance that helps plants make food
• fertilizera substance added to soil to help plants grow
• invertebratean animal without a backbone

People and feelings (12)

• ambitiouseager to achieve great things through hard work
• compassioncaring about how others feel and wanting to help
• reliableable to be trusted to do what is expected
• curiositya strong desire to learn and discover things
• optimisticexpecting good things to happen in the future
• cautiouscareful to avoid possible danger or mistakes
• sincerehonest and true in what you say and feel
• courteouspolite and respectful toward other people
• humblemodest and not boastful about your abilities
• consideratethoughtful about the feelings and needs of others
• diligentcareful and hardworking in doing your duties
• persistentcontinuing to try even when it is difficult

Adventure (12)

• wildernessa wild natural area with few people living in it
• explorationthe act of traveling to discover unknown places
• discoverysomething new that is found or learned
• voyagea long trip by sea or through space
• cartographera person who draws maps
• fearlessshowing no fear at all
• daringbold and willing to take risks
• pyramida huge stone structure with four triangular sides
• fortunea very large amount of money or wealth
• hideouta secret place where someone can hide
• paddleto move a small boat forward with an oar
• backpackera traveler who carries gear on their back

Tricky words (12)

• columna tall upright pillar or a vertical list
• occasiona special event or a particular time
• fascinateto capture someone's interest completely
• licensean official paper that allows you to do something
• mischiefplayful behavior that is slightly naughty
• bargainsomething bought for less than its usual price
• parallellines or things that stay the same distance apart
• chorusa group of singers who perform together
• desserta sweet food eaten at the end of a meal
• businessa company or the work people do to earn money
• guaranteea promise that a product will work or be replaced
• bruisea dark mark on skin from a bump or hit

Questions people ask