7th 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)

• chameleona lizard that can change the color of its skin
• ostricha very large flightless bird with a long neck
• pelicana large water bird with a pouch under its long bill
• vulturea large bird that feeds on dead animals
• scorpiona small desert animal with a stinger on its curved tail
• hyenaa wild animal like a dog that makes a laughing sound
• iguanaa large lizard with spiny skin that often lives in trees
• chipmunka small striped rodent that stores seeds in its cheeks
• jaguara large spotted cat that lives in the rainforests of the Americas
• bisona large wild ox with a shaggy hump and thick fur
• wolverinea strong, fierce animal in the weasel family that lives in cold places
• tapira hoofed animal with a short, flexible snout that lives in forests

Food (12)

• spaghettilong thin pasta made from wheat dough
• asparagusa green vegetable with thin, tender spears
• parsleya green herb used to flavor and decorate food
• tangerinea small orange fruit that peels easily
• guacamolea dip made from mashed avocado, lime, and spices
• quesadillaa folded tortilla filled with melted cheese and other fillings
• custarda thick, sweet cream dessert made with eggs and milk
• molassesa thick, dark syrup made from sugar cane or beets
• marmaladea sweet spread made from oranges or other citrus fruit
• jambalayaa spicy rice dish with meat or seafood and vegetables
• pepperonia spicy sausage that is sliced thin for pizza
• gelatoa soft Italian ice cream with a dense, smooth texture

Sports (12)

• championshipa contest held to find the best player or team
• gymnastan athlete who performs flips, balance, and routines on mats or bars
• sprintera runner who races at very high speed over short distances
• rowinga sport of pulling oars to move a boat through water
• discusa heavy disk thrown as far as possible in a track event
• canoeinga sport of paddling a light, open boat through water
• kayakinga sport of paddling a small, narrow boat with a double-bladed paddle
• cricketa bat-and-ball game played on a large grass field
• rugbya fast team sport in which players carry an oval ball and tackle
• squasha racket game where a ball is hit against walls
• poloa sport in which riders on horseback hit a ball with long mallets
• sailingthe sport of steering a boat that is powered by the wind

Space (12)

• rotationthe act of turning around a central point or axis
• crescenta thin, curved shape like the edge of a circle
• zeniththe point in the sky directly above your head
• magnitudethe size or amount of something, such as how bright a star looks
• twilightthe soft light after sunset or before sunrise
• luminousgiving off bright light
• terrestrialrelating to the planet Earth, or to land rather than sea
• radiantshining brightly, or giving off light or heat
• gaseousin the form of gas, not solid or liquid
• magneticable to pull iron and steel toward it with an invisible force
• illuminateto light up or make something clear and bright
• telemetryinformation that machines send back by radio from far away

Ocean (12)

• buoya floating marker anchored in water to warn ships or mark a spot
• sardinea small silvery fish often packed in tin cans
• herringa small silvery sea fish that swims in large schools
• baya wide part of the sea that curves into the land
• scallopa shellfish with a fan-shaped shell and many tiny eyes
• anchovya very small, salty fish often packed in oil
• halibuta large, flat sea fish with both eyes on one side
• mussela small shellfish with two hinged shells that clings to rocks
• nauticalrelating to ships, sailors, or travel on the sea
• maelstroma powerful whirlpool or a wild, confused situation
• krilltiny shrimp-like sea animals that whales often eat
• tidalrelating to the rise and fall of the sea caused by the moon

Nature and weather (12)

• rainforesta thick forest that gets lots of rain all year
• dandeliona yellow flower that turns into a fluffy white seed head
• cypressa tall evergreen tree with flat, scaly leaves
• sequoiaa giant evergreen tree that can grow very tall and live for centuries
• hibiscusa shrub with large, bright flowers in red, pink, or yellow
• hickorya tall tree with hard nuts and strong, tough wood
• lavendera purple-flowered plant with a sweet, calming smell
• dropleta tiny bead of water or other liquid
• sleetrain that freezes into small ice pellets as it falls
• ivya climbing plant with shiny leaves that grows on walls
• bloomthe flowers that open on a plant, or the time when they open
• cascadea steep waterfall, or a rushing series of falling things

Home and family (11)

• relativea person who belongs to your family by birth or marriage
• generationall the people born around the same time
• thresholdthe strip of wood or metal at the bottom of a doorway
• ottomana low, padded seat with no back or arms
• bookcasea tall piece of furniture with shelves for holding books
• banisterthe rail along the side of a staircase
• fauceta device that controls water flowing from a pipe
• renovateto repair and improve an old building
• raftera sloping beam that supports a roof
• dressera piece of furniture with drawers for storing clothes
• trellisa frame of crossed wooden strips that climbing plants grow on

School (12)

• scholarshipmoney given to a student to help pay for school
• auditoriuma large room with rows of seats for shows and talks
• terminologythe special words used in a particular subject
• literaturewritten works, such as novels and poems, that are valued as art
• dictationa passage read aloud for students to write down
• adjectivea word that describes a noun, such as bright or tiny
• conjunctiona word that joins words or groups of words, such as and or but
• glossarya list of hard words with their meanings, often at a book's end
• anthologya collection of stories, poems, or other writing by many authors
• prepositiona word such as in, under, or beside that shows place or time
• compositiona piece of writing, or the way something is put together
• semicolona punctuation mark with a dot above a comma, used to join related clauses

Music and art (12)

• accordiona folding instrument you squeeze to make sounds
• trombonea brass instrument that you play by sliding a long tube
• ukulelea small guitar-like instrument with four strings
• piccoloa small, high-pitched flute that plays the highest notes
• sonataa piece of music for one instrument, in several parts
• murala large painting made directly on a wall
• dramaa play performed on stage, or the art of acting
• marimbaa wooden instrument with bars that are struck with mallets
• mandolina small stringed instrument shaped like a pear, played with a pick
• collagea picture made by gluing paper, cloth, or other materials onto a surface
• portraita painting, drawing, or photograph of a person
• ballada slow, simple song that tells a story

Body and health (12)

• abdomenthe front part of the body below the chest
• eyelidthe thin fold of skin that covers and protects your eye
• thyroida gland in the neck that controls how the body uses energy
• bladdera stretchy organ that holds liquid waste until it leaves the body
• muscularhaving strong, well-developed muscles
• cardiachaving to do with the heart
• pulmonaryhaving to do with the lungs
• forearmthe part of the arm between the elbow and the wrist
• scalpthe skin on the top of the head, under the hair
• salivathe watery liquid in the mouth that helps you swallow and digest food
• nervea bundle of fibers that carries messages between the brain and the body
• hamstringone of the large muscles at the back of the thigh

Places and travel (12)

• courtyardan open space enclosed by walls or buildings
• intersectiona place where two or more roads cross
• reservoira large lake, often made to store water for a town
• terminala building where buses, trains, or planes begin and end their trips
• crossroadsa place where two or more roads meet
• districtone area of a city or town with its own character
• outposta small settlement or station far from the main area
• hamleta small village with only a few houses
• municipalitya city or town with its own local government
• outskirtsthe outer edges of a city or town
• tropicsthe hot, wet region near the equator
• frontierthe edge of settled land, where few people have gone before

Science (12)

• reflectionlight or sound bouncing back from a surface
• vibrationa quick back-and-forth movement that makes sound
• evolutionthe slow change of living things over many generations
• organismany living thing, such as a plant, animal, or fungus
• nitrogena colorless gas that makes up most of the air we breathe
• wavelengththe distance between two peaks of a wave, such as light or sound
• compounda substance made of two or more elements joined together
• ionan atom or molecule that has gained or lost an electric charge
• acida sour substance, such as the juice in a lemon
• calibrateto adjust a tool so that its readings are accurate
• electrodea conductor through which electricity enters or leaves a battery or device
• magnesiuma light, silver-white metal that burns with a bright white light

People and feelings (12)

• frustratedupset because something is hard to do or achieve
• enthusiasticshowing great interest and energy
• stubbornrefusing to change your mind or give up
• electriciana worker who installs and repairs wires that carry power
• photographera person who takes pictures with a camera as a job
• grumpyin a bad mood and easily annoyed
• eagerexcited and keen to do something
• gentlekind, calm, and careful in the way you treat others
• bashfulshy and easily embarrassed around other people
• loyalfaithful and steady in your support for friends or a cause
• modestnot showy or boastful about your own talents or success
• impatientnot willing to wait calmly for something or someone

Adventure (12)

• parchmentthick paper made from animal skin, used for old documents
• caverna large underground room in rock
• scrolla long roll of paper or parchment with writing on it
• riddlea puzzling question or statement with a clever answer
• amuleta charm worn on a chain that is believed to bring good luck
• hieroglypha picture symbol used in some ancient writing systems
• sorceressa woman who uses magic spells and powers
• gargoylea carved stone creature on a building that often has a water spout
• cauldrona large, heavy pot used for cooking over a fire
• catapulta machine that throws heavy stones or arrows over walls
• stowawaya person who hides on a ship or plane to travel without paying
• pennanta long, narrow flag, often flown by a ship or a team

Tricky words (12)

• loseto be unable to find or keep something
• rhymewords that end with the same sound, like cat and hat
• bureaua wooden chest with drawers for storing clothes
• eighthcoming after seventh and before ninth
• colonela high-ranking officer in the army or air force
• recommendto suggest someone or something as good or worth using
• foreignfrom another country or unfamiliar to you
• leisurefree time when you can rest or do things you enjoy
• sheriffthe police officer in charge of a county
• laughto make sounds that show something is funny
• leaguea group of teams or clubs that play against each other
• wreatha circle of leaves or flowers, often hung on a door for decoration

Questions people ask