Diocesan Spelling Bee
Stage 3 - Preliminary Round - Non Elimination
Word
casting
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kah-sting)
The casting for the new film is being done entirely in Australia.
Word
harmony
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say hah-muh-nee)
The choir sang in perfect harmony.
Word
singe
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sinj)
You’ll sing your hair if you get too close to that candle.
Word
music
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say myooh-zik)
I like listening to music on the radio.
Word
tumble
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tum-buhl)
She saw him tumble off the wall and into the soft grass.
(5 words)
Stage 3 - Round 1
Word
scene
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say seen)
The murder occurs in the first scene of the play.
Word
peevish
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say peev-ish)
Because I was tired, I was feeling peevish.
Word
defy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-fuy)
It is not a good idea to defy the police.
Word
boomerang
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say booh-muh-rang)
We bought a boomerang when we visited Central Australia.
Word
salmon
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sam-uhn)
The salmon returns from the ocean to breed in rivers.
Word
helmet
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say hel-muht)
You must wear a helmet when you ride a bike.
Word
wireless
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say wuy-uh-luhs)
Wireless technology allows people to access the internet even
when they are outside.
Word
friction
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say frik-shuhn)
The friction of two stones being rubbed together can produce a
spark.
Word
Pronunciation
Sentence
poll
(say pol)
The latest opinion poll found that the community was evenly
divided on the proposed law.
2
Word
chatter
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say chat-uh)
My friend and I like to chatter when we go home on the bus.
Word
curfew
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ker-fyooh)
After the riots, there was a ten o’clock curfew.
Word
patient
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pay-shuhnt)
The doctor had to check on one last patient before he could
leave for the night.
Word
galley
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say gal-ee)
The ship’s cook prepared meals for the whole crew in a tiny
galley.
Word
trivia
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say triv-ee-uh)
His head is filled with cricket trivia.
Word
accused
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-kyoohzd)
The judge let the accused go free.
Word
germ
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say jerm)
If you really want to see a germ, you will have to look through a
microscope.
Word
thimble
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say thim-buhl)
I use a thimble when I am doing hand sewing.
Word
elevator
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say el-uh-vay-tuh)
Let’s catch the elevator – it’s quicker than walking upstairs.
3
Word
hazard
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say haz-uhd)
The hole in the footpath is a hazard for pedestrians.
Word
tackle
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tak-uhl)
At soccer training we are being taught how to tackle.
Word
sprain
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sprayn)
If you trip over, you could sprain your ankle.
Word
tablet
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tab-luht)
We have to give the dog a tablet every day for her diabetes.
Word
family
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fam-uh-lee)
Our family went for a long holiday to the snow last year.
Word
emblem
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say em-bluhm)
The floral emblem of New South Wales is the waratah.
Word
police
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say puh-lees)
Robert was pulled over by the police for speeding.
Word
commune
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kom-yoohn)
The people from the commune sold their organic vegetables at
the markets.
Word
squirm
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say skwerm)
We started to squirm with embarrassment when we realised
how silly we had been.
4
Word
greenhouse
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say green-hows)
We grow lettuces in the greenhouse all year long.
Word
gravity
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say grav-uh-tee)
If it wasn’t for gravity, we would all be floating around.
Word
frantic
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fran-tik)
We were frantic when we couldn’t find out dog for two days.
Word
tarnish
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tar-nish)
Eventually all silver will tarnish and will need polishing.
Word
capsize
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kap-suyz)
Look out! The boat is going to capsize.
Word
trio
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tree-oh)
My two brothers and I have formed a trio and we busk every
weekend in the city.
Word
tonal
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say toh-nuhl)
A didgeridoo does not have the tonal agility of many other wind
instruments and so rhythm is used instead.
Word
bloated
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bloh-tuhd)
I always felt bloated after Christmas lunch because I ate too
much.
Word
nation
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nay-shun)
The whole nation was saddened by the death of the president.
5
Word
peanut
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pee-nut)
We fed the dog a peanut but she didn’t like it.
Word
atom
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say at-uhm)
An atom is made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Word
understudy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say un-duh-stud-ee)
Luckily the understudy had trained well for the part and the
show was a total success.
Word
tenor
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ten-uh)
There is a part for a tenor in the school musical.
Word
broadcast
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say brawd-kahst)
The news is broadcast at 7 p.m. each evening.
Word
router
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say rowt-uh)
We had to follow the instructions to set up the router.
Word
urgent
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say er-juhnt)
I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have an urgent message for you.
Word
tweezers
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tweez-uhz)
She used tweezers to pull the splinter out of her finger.
Word
withdrawn
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say with-drawn)
The new student was understandably a little withdrawn.
6
Word
teeter
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tee-tuh)
We held our breath as we watched the acrobat teeter on the
high wire.
Word
athlete
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ath-leet)
Paul is an excellent athlete and wants to compete in the Olympic
Games.
Word
myth
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mith)
Our teacher read us an ancient Greek myth about how the stars
were formed.
Word
wildlife
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say wuyld-luyf)
You must always be careful not to endanger wildlife.
Word
transmit
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say trans-mit)
They plan to transmit the game live from the playing ground.
(50 words)
7
Stage 3 - Round 2
Word
tetanus
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tet-nuhs or tet-uh-nuhs)
These days, most people in Australia are immunised against
tetanus, so it is not very common.
Word
tarmac
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tah-mac)
The plane waited on the tarmac until the runway was clear for
take-off.
Word
almond
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ah-muhnd)
The café in Bali sells a delicious almond slice.
Word
nationality
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nash-uh-nal-uh-tee)
Bruno’s parents went through a special ceremony to become
Australian citizens. Now their nationality is Australian instead of
Italian.
Word
maritime
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ma-ruh-tuym)
Have you visited the maritime museum?
Word
pagoda
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say puh-goh-duh)
During our trip to Japan, we visited a famous pagoda in the hills
near Kyoto.
Word
courtesy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ker-tuh-see)
Her courtesy and understanding were appreciated by everyone.
Word
tolerance
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tol-uh-ruhns)
He had a wide tolerance and a great respect for the beliefs of all
men.
8
Word
periphery
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say puh-rif-uh-ree)
Police officers stood around the periphery of the crowd.
Word
research
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ruh-serch or ree-serch)
One day, medical research might discover a cure for colds.
Word
happiness
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say hap-ee-nuhs)
The thought of travelling overseas filled Jack with happiness.
Word
boycott
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say boy-kot)
She decided to boycott the meeting as a protest against the new
policy.
Word
tortoiseshell
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say taw-tuh-shel)
On the dressing table were her silver-backed hairbrushes and a
long tortoiseshell clip.
Word
adamant
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ad-uh-muhnt)
Mum was adamant that the bathroom wall should remain bright
yellow.
Word
austere
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say o-steer or aw-steer)
The monks lead an austere life with no luxuries at all.
Word
unfortunate
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say un-faw-chuh-nuht)
You were very unfortunate to miss out on a ticket to the
concert.
Word
marzipan
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mah-zuh-pan)
The wedding cake was covered with a layer of marzipan.
9
Word
semaphore
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sem-uh-faw)
Before radio, semaphore was used to communicate between
ships in a fleet.
Word
battleaxe
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bat-uhl-aks)
The battleaxe was used in warfare during the Viking Age.
Word
dissect
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-sekt or duy-sekt)
In our science class we watched the teacher dissect a sheep’s
brain to show us how it worked.
Word
fiscal
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fis-kuhl)
The treasurer is largely responsible for fiscal matters affecting
the country.
Word
encourage
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say en-ku-rij)
We tried to encourage him to enter the art competition.
Word
census
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sen-suhs)
The government conducts a census of the whole country every
five years.
Word
complexity
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhm-plek-suh-tee)
It took her some time to understand the complexity of running
her own business.
Word
cosmonaut
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say koz-muh-nawt)
The cosmonaut prepared the spacecraft for its return to Earth.
10
Word
electoral
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-lek-tuh-ruhl)
The favoured candidate won the presidency in an electoral
landslide.
Word
cubbyhouse
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kub-ee-hows)
Only three of us could fit into the cubbyhouse at the same time.
Word
bypass
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say buy-pahs)
We had to use the bypass because there was an accident of the
freeway.
Word
republic
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ruh-pub-lik)
Australia is not a republic but the United States is.
Word
capitalism
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kap-uh-tuh-liz-uhm)
Capitalism is considered the Western world’s dominant
economic system.
Word
kilohertz
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kil-uh-herts)
The radiofrequency is 300 kilohertz.
Word
tuxedo
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tuk-see-doh)
He was looking very smart in his new shoes and a hired tuxedo.
Word
salutation
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sal-yuh-tay-shuhn)
He greeted everyone he met with a pleasant salutation and a
smile.
Word
athletics
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ath-let-iks)
The athletics at the Olympic Games are exciting to watch,
particularly the running and hurdling.
11
Word
microscope
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say muy-kruh-skohp)
We examined a mosquito under the microscope.
Word
serviette
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ser-vee-et)
Mum always tells me to use a serviette, but I usually spill food
on my clothes anyway.
Word
superfluous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sooh-per-flooh-uhs)
We’ll freeze any superfluous food.
Word
hyperlink
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say huy-puh-lingk)
I clicked on the hyperlink to get to the next page.
Word
divisive
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-viz-iv or duh-vuy-siv)
It was a particularly divisive policy that angered many.
Word
trespass
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tres-pahs)
He put up a sign warning people not to trespass on his land.
Word
nutrition
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nyooh-trish-uhn)
Good nutrition is vital to athletes.
Word
cleanse
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say klenz)
The nurse started to cleanse the wound with a mild antiseptic.
Word
pumice
Pronunciation:
Sentence
(say pum-uhs)
Pumice can be used for smoothing dry skin.
12
Word
democracy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-mok-ruh-see)
The right of free speech for all is essential in a democracy.
Word
risotto
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ruh-zot-oh)
Risotto with prawns is one of my favourite dishes.
Word
beautify
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say byooh-tuh-fuy)
We decided to help beautify the city by planting trees.
Word
ally
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say al-uy)
My sister was my ally in the argument about which film we
should see.
Word
interpreter
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say in-ter-pruh-tuh)
A good interpreter manages to convey small differences in
meaning.
Word
culinary
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kul-uhn-ree)
His culinary skills had improved after attending cooking classes.
Word
equivalent
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-kwiv-uh-luhnt)
An inch is equivalent to about 2.5 centimetres in the metric
system.
(50 words)
13
Stage 3 - Round 3
Word
liniment
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say lin-uh-muhnt)
After tennis practice my shoulder was sore, so I rubbed some
liniment onto it.
Word
oasis
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say oh-ay-sis)
They were relieved to come across an oasis as they were running
low on water.
Word
pilgrimage
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pil-gruh-mij)
He intended to make a pilgrimage across the north of Spain to
the city of Santiago.
Word
limousine
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say lim-uh-zeen)
The bridal party travelled in a limousine.
Word
municipality
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say myooh-nuh-suh-pal-uh-tee)
We have some good parks in our municipality.
Word
vengeance
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ven-juhns)
The police thought the murder was an act of vengeance.
Word
notorious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nuh-taw-ree-uhs)
He’s notorious for his wild parties.
Word
controversial
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kon-truh-ver-shuhl)
The political party was divided about the controversial issue.
14
Word
marquee
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mah-kee)
They hired a marquee for the wedding celebration, so it didn’t
matter if it rained.
Word
acacia
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-kay-shuh or uh-kay-see-uh)
In Australia, we usually refer to the acacia as a wattle tree.
Word
nougat
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nooh-gah)
Traditional nougat tastes distinctly of almonds.
Word
salubrious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suh-looh-bree-uhs)
When they become wealthy, they moved to a more salubrious
suburb.
Word
bathe
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bayth)
Bathe your sore eye in this salty water.
Word
seizure
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say seezh-uh)
She had a seizure while on holidays and was rushed to hospital.
Word
ligature
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say lig-uh-chuh)
She tightened the ligature on the mouthpiece of her saxophone.
Word
procure
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pruh-kyoouh)
Once we knew what food we could procure, we planned the
menu.
Word
barometer
Pronunciation
Sentence
weather.
(say buh-rom-uh-tuh)
The barometer is falling, which means we are in for bad
15
Word
trillion
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tril-yuhn)
It’s hard to imagine a trillion dollars.
Word
scaffolding
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say skaf-uhl-ding)
Workers had to erect scaffolding around the outside of the
building before restoration could begin.
Word
brigadier
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say brig-uh-dear)
My grandfather was a brigadier in the Vietnam War.
Word
vacancy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say vay-kuhn-see)
There is a vacancy in this department for a data entry worker.
Word
cholera
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kol-uh-ruh)
May people died of cholera in the epidemic.
Word
allege
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-lej)
Some people allege that you are responsible for the graffiti at
the station.
Word
reactor
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ree-ak-tuh)
Australia’s first nuclear reactor was shut down at the beginning
of 2007 to make way for a new one.
Word
confidential
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kon-fuh-den-shuhl)
The politicians were shocked when details for their confidential
conversations appeared in the media.
Word
skeletal
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say skel-uh-tuhl or skuh-lee-tuhl)
Her long illness caused her to look pale and skeletal.
16
Word
biography
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say buy-og-ruh-fee)
Writing someone’s biography requires a lot of research.
Word
cohesion
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say koh-hee-zhuhn)
Cohesion was needed within the party to present a united front.
Word
epilepsy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ep-uh-lep-see)
She has a mild form of epilepsy which is controlled well with
medication.
Word
disinfectant
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say dis-uhn-fek-tuhnt)
The vet sprays the examining table with disinfectant after each
patient.
Word
quinine
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kwin-een or kwuh-neen)
Until recent times quinine was the only treatment for malaria.
Word
scalpel
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say skal-puhl)
The surgeon held the scalpel in her steady hand.
Word
scenario
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suh-nah-ree-oh or suh-nair-ree-oh)
It was hard to imagine the grim scenario the scientists described
if the drought continued.
Word
eclipse
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-klips or ee-klips)
You must never look at sun during an eclipse.
Word
expenditure
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uhk-spen-duh-chuh)
The military consumes over five percent of the government’s
total expenditure.
17
Word
filmography
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say film-og-ruh-fee)
The director’s filmography was listed on her website.
Word
biodegradable
Pronunciation
Sentence
(Say buy-oh-duh-gray-duh-buhl)
We buy biodegradable soap powder to minimise its effect on the
environment.
Word
imminent
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say im-uh-nuhnt)
The black sky warned that a storm was imminent.
Word
cologne
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuh-lohn)
The cologne had a pleasant fragrance.
Word
analyst
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say an-uh-luhst)
We had to engage a computer analyst to sort out our network
problems.
Word
sacrosanct
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sak-ruh-sangkt)
The area around the altar in a church is sacrosanct.
Word
vulnerable
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say vuln-ruh-buhl or vul-nuh-ruh-bul)
We felt vulnerable because we did not have a torch with us and
the night was pitch black.
Word
cicada
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suh-kah-duh or suh-kay-duh)
We found the shell of a cicada on a tree trunk.
Word
metronome
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say met-ruh-nohm)
We practised with a metronome when the conductor couldn’t
make it to our rehearsal.
(44 words)
18
Stage 3 - Round 4
Word
desalination
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say dee-sal-uh-nay-shun)
Desalination is one of the ways to make sea water drinkable.
Word
expeditious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say eks-puh-dish-uhs)
It was more expeditious to clear the track before trying to move
everybody through.
Word
fallacy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fal-uh-see)
Many people believe the fallacy that measles is a harmless
disease.
Word
statistics
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say stuh-tis-tiks)
Statistics show that more boys are born than girls.
Word
treasurer
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say trezh-uh-ruh)
She was elected treasurer at the annual general meeting.
Word
chromatic
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kruh-mat-ik)
She made a mistake when she was practising chromatic scales
on the piano.
Word
conveyancing
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-vay-uhn-sing)
Did you get a lawyer to do your conveyancing when you bought
the house, or did you do it yourself?
Word
insolvency
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say in-sol-vuhnt-see)
In the face of insolvency, the company could manage to pay only
half of its creditors.
19
Word
simulcast
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sim-uhl-kahst)
The concert was to be presented as a simulcast on television and
radio before the end of the year.
Word
contemptible
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-temp-tuh-buhl)
Accusing your brother of stealing when you took the money
yourself was contemptible.
Word
decorum
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-kaw-ruhm)
She carried out her duties as school captain with grace and
decorum.
Word
digestion
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duy-jes-chuhn)
Eating your food slowly helps the process of digestion.
Word
sedentary
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sed-uhn-tree)
If you have a sedentary job you should make time for some
exercise.
Word
semibreve
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sem-ee-breev)
In our music class we learned that a semibreve is a note which is
four times as long as a crotchet.
Word
conductor
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-duk-tuh)
Metal is a good conductor of heat.
Word
electorate
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-lek-tuh-ruht)
The boundary of our electorate has changed so we have a
different member of parliament.
20
Word
innocuous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say i-nok-yooh-uhs)
It was an innocuous comment, and not meant to upset her.
Word
aviation
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ay-vee-ay-shuhn)
The air force has an exhibition on the history of aviation.
Word
bombora
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bom-baw-ruh)
We like to surf the waves caused by the bombora.
Word
bronchial
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say brong-kee-uhl)
Coughing and wheezing are symptoms of a bronchial infection.
Word
binocular
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say buh-nok-yuh-luh)
Being able to use both eyes is considered binocular vision.
Word
anaconda
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say an-uh-kon-duh)
The anaconda often suffocates its prey before eating it.
Word
anticipation
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say an-tiss-uh-pay-shun)
The anticipation of waiting for my results made me very
nervous.
Word
cockatiel
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kok-uh-teel)
The cockatiel is common in inland areas of Australia.
Word
conspiracy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-spi-ruh-see)
There was a conspiracy to give out teacher a surprise birthday
party.
21
Word
obituary
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-bich-uh-ree)
I was sad when I saw an obituary in the paper for my old
economics professor.
Word
atypical
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ay-tip-i-kuhl)
His failure in the exam was atypical because he usually did very
well.
Word
alliteration
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-lit-uh-ray-shuhn)
An example of alliteration is: ‘Around the rugged rocks the
ragged rascal ran’.
Word
demography
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say duh-mog-gruh-fee)
Many trends can be learned from the demography of a
community.
Word
cumulative
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kyoohm-yuh-luh-tiv)
The cumulative effects of one illness after another were too
much for her.
Word
memorandum
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mem-uh-ran-duhm)
The manager sent a memorandum to all staff about the new
computer system.
Word
athiest
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ay-thee-uhst)
The clergyman and the atheist debated the existence of God.
Word
construe
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-strooh)
He was wrong to construe her anxiety as an indication of guilt.
22
Word
meteorite
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mee-tee-uh-ruyt)
Tiny fragments of the meteorite can still be found where it
smashed into the earth thousands of years ago.
Word
proficient
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pruh-fish-uhnt)
Once we were proficient in hitting the ball, we learned how to
aim.
Word
chalet
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say shal-ay)
My cousins were very lucky – they stayed in a luxurious chalet at
the ski resort.
Word
gymnasium
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say jim-nay-zee-uhm)
The gymnasium has a lot of different equipment such as running
machines and climbing ropes.
Word
gregarious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say gruh-gair-ree-uhs)
She has a gregarious nature and loves meeting new people.
Word
ultimatum
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ul-tuh-may-tuhm)
The coach gave an ultimatum that if we didn’t come to training,
we would not be in the team.
Word
sierra
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say see-air-ruh)
From a distance, the peaks of the mountains in the sierra looked
like the edge of a saw.
Word
corporation
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kaw-puh-ray-shun)
My sister works for an international corporation.
23
Word
ominous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say om-uh-nuhs)
We thought we were safe in the deserted house until we heard
an ominous creaking.
Word
convergence
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-verj-uhns)
The convergence of the two cultures resulted in a wonderful mix
of traditions.
(43 words)
24
Stage 3 - Round 5
Word
disparate
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say dis-puh-ruht)
The documentary highlighted the disparate lives of the city’s rich
and very poor.
Word
contentious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-ten-shuhs)
The government’s contentious new policy has caused many
arguments in the community.
Word
extrapolate
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ek-strap-uh-layt)
You can extrapolate from this survey that about one in twenty
people won’t vote at all.
Word
acuity
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uk-kyooh-uh-tee)
Dogs are known for their acuity of hearing.
Word
panacea
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pan-uh-see-uh)
Mother says that rest and vitamin C is the best panacea.
Word
catapult
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kat-uh-pult)
In some shooting competitions, a small catapult is used to
launch targets into the air.
Word
botulism
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say boch-uh-liz-uhm)
Botulism is a rare but very serious disease caused by eating
spoiled food.
Word
egalitarian
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-gal-uh-tair-ree-uhn or ee-gal-uh-tair-ree-uhn)
In an ideal world, society would be completely egalitarian and
everyone would be treated as equals.
25
Word
desiccated
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say dess-uh-kayt-uhd)
After icing the lamingtons, we rolled them in desiccated
coconut.
Word
conservatorium
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuhn-serv-uh-taw-ree-uhm)
Fran played two solo pieces in her audition for the
conservatorium.
Word
intricacy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say in-truh-kuh-see)
We admired the intricacy of her embroidery.
Word
idiosyncratic
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say id-ee-oh-sin-krat-ik)
She was dressed in her usual idiosyncratic style – odd socks and
a bright purple hat.
Word
suspicion
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suh-spish-uhn)
He is being held under suspicion of murder.
Word
bathe
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bayth)
Bathe your sore eye in this salty water.
Word
cistern
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say siss-tuhn)
A plumber came to mend the faulty cistern.
Word
sapphire
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say saf-uy-uh)
The sapphire in her necklace matched the colour of her eyes.
Word
seizure
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say see-zhuh)
She had a seizure while on holidays and was rushed to hospital.
26
Word
subcutaneous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sub-kyooh-tay-nee-uhs)
The swelling was caused by a subcutaneous cyst which had
become infected.
Word
antagonistic
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say an-tag-uh-niss-tik)
The two brothers were antagonistic towards each other and
were often arguing.
Word
maintenance
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mayn-tuh-nuhns)
The maintenance of his motorbike took up much of his time.
Word
debacle
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say day-bah-kuhl or duh-bah-kuhl)
Unfortunately, the restaurant’s opening night was a complete
debacle with the chef storming out in a rage.
Word
seismograph
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suyz-muh-graf)
At the museum, we were shown how a seismograph measures
the strength of an earthquake.
Word
trajectory
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say truh-jek-tuh-ree)
The crowd watched the trajectory of the cricket ball until it went
over the fence and they lost sight of it.
Word
barometer
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say buh-rom-uh-tuh)
The barometer is falling, which means we are in for bad
weather.
Word
supremacy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suh-prem-uh-see)
The election result signalled an end to the tyrant’s supremacy.
27
Word
idolatry
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uy-dol-uh-tree)
Idolatry is a part of some ancient religions.
Word
cholera
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kol-uh-ruh)
Many people died of cholera in the epidemic.
Word
reactor
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ree-ak-tuh)
Australia’s first nuclear reactor was shut down at the beginning
of 2007 to make way for a new one.
Word
adjacent
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-jay-suhnt)
Most schools have pedestrian crossings adjacent to their entry
gates.
Word
cannula
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kan-yuh-luh)
The nurse has to insert a cannula to attach the drip.
Word
coherent
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say koh-hear-ruhnt)
She presented a coherent argument for building a new school
hall.
Word
fictitious
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fik-tish-uhs)
The characters in this film are fictitious – they are not based on
real people.
Word
centrifugal
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sen-trif-uh-guhl or sen-truh-fyooh-guhl)
Centrifugal force is what keeps water in a bucket when you
swing it over your head.
Word
successor
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say suhk-sess-uh)
I am leaving the job in the capable hands of my successor.
28
Word
cauliflower
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kol-ee-flow-uh)
We had cauliflower and cheese sauce with our roast beef.
Word
epilepsy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ep-uh-lep-see)
She has a mild form of epilepsy which is controlled well with
medication.
Word
disinfectant
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say dis-uhn-fekt-uhnt)
The vet sprays the examining table with disinfectant after each
patient.
Word
quinine
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kwin-een or kwuh-neen)
Until recent times, quinine was the only treatment for malaria.
Word
muscly
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say muss-uh-lee)
My brother became very muscly after several months of weight
training at the gym.
Word
hypnotherapy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say hip-noh-the-ruh-pee)
The doctor suggested she try hypnotherapy instead of
traditional medication.
Word
anecdote
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say an-uhk-doht)
She kept us entertained with an anecdote about her family.
Word
pandemonium
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pan-duh-moh-nee-uhm)
There was absolute pandemonium when we heard that our
team had made the finals.
Word
bibliography
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bib-lee-og-ruh-fee)
We lose marks if we don’t include a complete bibliography with
our work.
(43 Words)
29
Stage 3 - Round 6
Word
ambrosia
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say am-broh-zee-uh)
Tantalus, a son of Zeus, was condemned to eternal punishment
for stealing the ambrosia of the gods.
Word
catacombs
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kat-uh-kohmz or kat-uh-koohmz)
I’m reading a scary book about a group of children lost in the
catacombs under Paris.
Word
adolescence
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ad-uh-less-uhns)
Adolescence can be a confusing time.
Word
inauguration
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say in-aw-gyuh-ray-shuyn)
The inauguration of the president was very grand event,
watched by millions around the world.
Word
thoroughfare
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say thu-ruh-fair)
The main thoroughfare follows the river through the city.
Word
tympanum
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say tim-puh-nuhm or tim-pah-nuhm)
An ear surgeon will perform the delicate operation to repair his
tympanum.
Word
autocracy
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say aw-tok-ruh-see)
The people hated the autocracy under which they lived but were
not sufficiently organised to rebel.
Word
zephyr
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say zef-uh)
The soft evening zephyr formed ripples on the surface of the
pond.
30
Word
laboratory
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say luh-bo-ruh-tree)
The mad scientist worked in his laboratory all night.
Word
physicist
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fiz-uh-suhst)
She wanted to be a physicist and study space.
Word
grevillea
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say gruh-vil-ee-uh)
They decided to grow a grevillea to attract native birds.
Word
fuchsia
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say fyooh-shuh)
She didn’t mind what style her dress was as long as it was
fuchsia in colour.
Word
balustrade
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say bal-uh-strayd)
The old woman clung to the balustrade as she descended the
steep staircase.
Word
geochemistry
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say jee-oh-kem-uh-stree)
My cousin is studying geochemistry at university.
Word
sanguine
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sang-gwuhn)
His sanguine temperament saw him through many financial
difficulties.
Word
cerebellum
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say se-rih-bel-uhm)
We are studying the part of the brain called the cerebellum in
our anatomy class.
Word
pneumonia
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say nyooh-moh-nyuh)
The chest infection grew a lot worse and turned into
pneumonia.
31
Word
formaldehyde
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say faw-mal-duh-huyd)
Formaldehyde is a chemical used in the manufacture of resins
and plastics.
Word
arabesque
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say a-ruh-besk)
A ballet dancer has to do a lot of practice to master the perfect
arabesque.
Word
macaque
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say muh-kahk)
The monkey we saw in the rainforest of Borneo was a macaque.
Word
abattoir
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ab-uh-twah)
The cattle were herded into the abattoir.
Word
omniscient
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say om-niss-ee-uhnt or om-nish-uhnt)
Most religious people believe that their god is omniscient.
Word
erroneous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say uh-roh-nee-uhs)
She suspected she’d been given erroneous information when
she found herself lost.
Word
chrysalis
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kris-uh-luhs)
We found a chrysalis in the garden and watched it every day
until a beautiful butterfly emerged.
Word
segue
Pronunciation
Sentence
(Say seg-way)
The newsreader always manages to find a clever segue to link
one story to the next.
Word
sauerkraut
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sour-krowt)
The recipe for sauerkraut calls for lots of chopped cabbage.
32
Word
propriety
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say pruh-pruy-uh-tee)
My grandmother always tells me that it is important to act with
propriety.
Word
meteorology
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say mee-tee-uh-rol-uh-jee)
He studied meteorology because he was interested in the
physics of weather patterns.
Word
tonsillitis
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say ton-suh-luy-tuhs)
She had bad tonsillitis and couldn’t speak.
Word
supersede
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say sooh-puh-seed)
This new printer will supersede the previous model.
Word
cacophony
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say kuh-kof-uh-nee)
There was a cacophony of car horns as the truck continued to
block the road.
Word
osteoarthritis
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say os-tee-oh-ah-thruy-tuhs)
The doctor prescribed vitamin supplements to help with his
osteoarthritis.
Word
vociferous
Pronunciation
Sentence
(say vuh-sif-uh-ruhs)
The vociferous crowd banged drums and blew whistles.
(33 words)
33
34