9th and 10th 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)

• metamorphosisa major change in form, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly
• symbiosisa close relationship where two different species help each other
• herbivorean animal that eats only plants
• parasitean organism that lives on another and harms it
• axolotla salamander that keeps its feathery gills all its life
• echidnaa spiny mammal that lays eggs and has a long snout
• mandrilla large, colorful monkey with a bright red and blue face
• quokkaa small, cheerful marsupial that lives on a few islands
• capybarathe world's largest rodent, a semi-aquatic animal that eats grass
• cassowarya large flightless bird with a bony helmet on its head
• pangolina scaly mammal that curls up into a ball to hide
• dugonga gray sea mammal that grazes on seagrass

Food (12)

• vinegara sour liquid made from fermented fruit or grain
• beveragea drink, other than plain water
• prosciuttothinly sliced, salt-cured Italian ham
• fettuccineflat, ribbon-shaped pasta noodles
• bruschettatoasted bread topped with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil
• raviolismall square pasta pockets filled with cheese or meat
• risottoa creamy Italian rice dish cooked slowly in broth
• tapiocaa starchy powder from cassava root, used for puddings
• pastramibeef that is cured, smoked, and seasoned with spices
• coleslawa salad of shredded cabbage and carrots in a creamy dressing
• kumquata small orange fruit with a sweet peel and sour pulp
• cardamoma spice from seed pods, used in sweet and savory dishes

Sports (11)

• coordinationthe smooth working together of body parts in movement
• accuracythe quality of hitting the exact target
• momentuma growing advantage that carries a team forward
• aerobicexercise that strengthens the heart and lungs
• biathlona winter sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting
• snowboarda board for sliding down snowy slopes while standing sideways
• unicyclea one-wheeled cycle that is ridden by balancing
• yachtingthe sport of sailing a large boat for pleasure or racing
• dribbleto bounce a ball repeatedly while moving, as in basketball
• forfeitto lose a game or right by breaking a rule
• tackleto stop a player by grabbing and bringing them down

Space (11)

• ionospherea layer of charged particles high in the atmosphere
• aerospacethe industry that designs and builds aircraft and spacecraft
• astrolabean ancient tool used to measure the positions of stars
• thermospherethe layer of the atmosphere where temperatures rise very high
• weightlesshaving little or no weight, as in orbit
• modulea separate section of a spacecraft
• propellantthe fuel that drives a rocket forward
• interplanetarytraveling or happening between planets
• neutrinoa tiny, nearly weightless particle with no electric charge
• plasmaa hot, glowing gas made of charged particles
• galacticrelating to a galaxy or the huge system of stars

Ocean (12)

• cetaceana sea mammal such as a whale or dolphin
• salinityhow much salt is dissolved in water
• abyssa very deep, empty part of the ocean
• angelfisha brightly colored tropical fish with tall, flat fins
• brackishslightly salty, like water where a river meets the sea
• urchina spiny sea animal with a round shell and many sharp spines
• sargassuma brown seaweed that floats in large patches
• isopoda small crustacean with seven pairs of legs, like a pill bug
• haloclinea layer where salt levels in water change quickly with depth
• bathyspherea strong, round diving chamber for exploring the deep sea
• seamountan underwater mountain that rises from the seafloor
• abalonea sea snail with a flat, pearly shell and a row of holes

Nature and weather (12)

• pollinateto carry pollen so a plant can make seeds
• deciduousdescribing trees that lose their leaves each year
• tundraa cold, treeless plain with frozen ground
• meteorologythe science of weather
• eruptiona sudden release of lava, ash, and gas from a volcano
• floodplainflat land beside a river that floods when water rises
• foliagethe leaves of trees and plants considered together
• cloudbursta sudden, heavy downpour of rain
• permafrostground that stays frozen for at least two years
• pistilthe female part of a flower that holds the seeds
• sepalone of the small leaves that protect a flower bud
• stratusa low, flat, gray cloud that covers the sky

Home and family (12)

• nurserya room where a baby sleeps and plays
• privacythe right to be alone and keep things to yourself
• mantelpiecethe shelf above a fireplace
• mansiona very large, grand house
• upholsterysoft material and padding that covers a chair or sofa
• headboardthe upright panel at the head of a bed
• lavatorya room with a toilet and sink, often called a restroom
• shinglea thin, flat tile used to cover a roof or wall
• duplexa house divided into two separate homes
• dormitorya large building where students live together at school
• insulationmaterial that keeps heat or cold from passing through walls
• ventilationfresh air moving into and out of a room or building

School (12)

• academicrelating to schoolwork and learning
• philosophythe study of big questions about truth and life
• prerequisitea course needed before taking another
• thesisa long research paper written to earn an advanced degree
• graduationthe ceremony at which students receive a diploma
• literacythe ability to read and write
• worksheeta printed page of questions or exercises for students
• seminara small class where students discuss a topic in depth
• academya school that teaches a special skill or subject
• tutora person who gives private lessons to a student
• annotationa note added to a text to explain or comment on it
• trigonometrythe branch of math that studies angles and triangles

Music and art (12)

• pirouettea quick spin on one foot in ballet
• harpsichorda keyboard instrument whose strings are plucked, not hammered
• xylophonea percussion instrument with wooden bars that are struck with mallets
• contraltothe lowest female singing voice
• falsettoa very high singing voice that a man uses above his normal range
• librettothe text or words of an opera or musical
• dulcimera stringed instrument played by striking or plucking strings
• baritonea male singing voice between tenor and bass
• overturea short piece of music played before an opera or show begins
• bagpipea wind instrument with an air bag and several pipes
• timpanilarge kettle drums that can be tuned to different notes
• tableaua striking, still arrangement of people posed as a scene

Body and health (12)

• symptoma sign that shows someone may be sick
• cerebellumthe part of the brain at the back that controls balance
• cerebrumthe large upper part of the brain that handles thinking
• pelvisthe bony ring of bones at the lower end of the spine
• retinathe layer at the back of the eye that senses light
• corneathe clear outer layer that covers the front of the eye
• membranea thin layer of tissue that covers or lines a body part
• spleenan organ near the stomach that filters the blood
• ulnathe long bone in the forearm on the side of the little finger
• vertebraethe small bones that make up the spine
• pituitarya small gland at the base of the brain that releases hormones
• thalamusa part of the brain that relays messages to the cortex

Places and travel (11)

• pavilionan open building used for shows or events
• mountainousfull of mountains or very hilly
• cobblestonea rounded stone used to pave a street
• colonnadea row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof or beam
• bazaara market where many small shops and sellers gather
• wharfa platform built along the shore where ships load and unload
• boardwalka wooden walkway built along a beach or over marsh
• junctiona point where roads, railway lines, or paths meet
• summitthe highest point of a mountain or hill
• suburbanrelating to the area just outside a busy city
• gulfa large area of sea partly surrounded by land

Science (12)

• chromosomea structure in cells that carries genetic information
• catalysta substance that speeds up a chemical reaction
• theorya well-tested explanation of how something works
• photona tiny particle that carries light energy
• kineticrelating to motion, or the energy an object has because it moves
• alkalia substance that neutralizes an acid
• yeasta tiny living organism that makes bread rise by producing gas
• calorimeteran instrument that measures the heat in a chemical reaction
• electrolytea substance that conducts electricity when dissolved in water
• halogenone of a group of nonmetal elements such as chlorine
• reactanta substance that starts a chemical reaction
• torquea twisting force that causes an object to rotate

People and feelings (12)

• empathythe ability to understand how someone else feels
• determinationa firm decision to keep trying
• surgeona doctor who performs operations
• bewilderedconfused and unsure what to do
• cashiera person who handles money at a store
• inquisitiveeager to learn and ask questions
• charismaa special charm that makes others want to follow or like a person
• diligencecareful, steady effort in doing your work
• resiliencethe ability to recover quickly from setbacks
• sinceritythe quality of meaning and feeling what you say
• tenacitya stubborn determination to keep trying despite obstacles
• physiciana doctor who diagnoses and treats illnesses

Adventure (12)

• clandestinedone in secret
• enigmasomething puzzling and hard to explain
• phantoma ghostly figure that appears and disappears
• conspiracya secret plan by a group to do something wrong
• rendezvousa planned meeting at a certain place
• alchemista person in old times who tried to turn metal into gold
• enchantmenta magical spell or charm
• oraclea wise person in ancient myths who foretold the future
• monarcha king or queen who rules a country for life
• archaeologythe study of past human life through objects and ruins
• artifactan object made by people long ago, such as a tool
• manuscripta handwritten or typed document, often an old book

Tricky words (12)

• pneumoniaa serious lung infection
• mnemonica memory aid, like a phrase that helps you remember
• bouqueta bunch of flowers
• miscellaneousvarious things of many kinds
• queuea line of people waiting their turn
• indispensableabsolutely essential or needed
• principlea basic rule or belief that guides action
• choira group of singers who perform together
• thoroughcomplete and careful in every detail
• acquaintancea person you know slightly but not well
• supervisora person who watches over workers and their tasks
• chauffeura person paid to drive a car for someone else

Questions people ask