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# spelt

verb, past tense and past participle of «spell» (UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland; US usually «spelled»); noun (spelt — a kind of wheat, uncountable)

«spelt» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Wrote or said the letters of a word in the right order. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#m1)
2. Was the letters of a word, as in «c-a-t spelt cat». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#m2)
3. (informal) Meant or caused, as in «the rain spelt trouble for the picnic». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#m3)
4. A kind of old wheat grain used to make flour and bread. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#m4)

### In the lessons

In English lessons and spelling tests pupils are asked how a word is spelt. «Spelt» is the usual British form; American English mostly uses «spelled». In cooking, spelt flour is used in some breads. «Spelt out» means explained very clearly. Phrases: «spelt wrong», «spelt correctly», «spelt out», «spelt disaster», «spelt flour».

### Examples

- I spelt «necessary» wrong in my spelling test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x1)
- How is your name spelt? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x2)
- The teacher spelt out the rules very clearly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x3)
- The dark clouds spelt trouble for the sports day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x4)
- Is «colour» spelt with a «u» in Australia? Yes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x5)
- Dad bakes bread with spelt flour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x6)
- She spelt every word correctly and got full marks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x7)
- The letters on the fridge spelt «HELLO». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x8)
- Why, the words are spelt differently, and mean quite different things. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/#x9)

### Note

Both «spelt» and «spelled» are correct; British, Irish, Australian and NZ writers often use «spelt», Americans «spelled». As a grain, «spelt» is uncountable. A pupil should keep one form in a piece of writing.

## In Jewish tradition

Spelt is an old kind of wheat that ripens late. In the Torah it was not harmed by the hail in Egypt.

**Interpretation.** Tradition says the late-ripening crops survived the plague of hail because they were still soft and low to the ground.

### Examples

- But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten; for they ripen late. — (Torah EXO.9.32, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spelt/#x1)

### Note

Both «spelt» and «spelled» are correct; British, Irish, Australian and NZ writers often use «spelt», Americans «spelled». As a grain, «spelt» is uncountable. A pupil should keep one form in a piece of writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «spelt» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/spelt/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spelt» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/spelt.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «spelt» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/spelt/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«spelt» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/spelt.html) on Mova free.