respell

R1E1S1P3E1L1L1

verb

To spell again.

Scrabble 9

Meanings

verbrespell (third-person singular simple present respells, present participle respelling, simple past and past participle respelled or respelt)

present singular third person respells · participle present respelling · participle past respelled · past respelled · participle past respelt · past respelt

  1. transitiveTo spell again.

    A child is learning to spell, but no special pains are taken to make him respell, and respell, until spelled aright, every misspelled word.

    1864, Henry Barnard, editor, The American Journal of Education, volume 14, Hartford: H. Barnard, page 293
    1. transitiveTo spell differently, especially according to pronunciation, or by a phonetic system.

      It may be hardly necessary to respell most of the words of this class in order to give their pronunciation, as, in their common orthography, they are naturally pronounced correctly, with the appropriate sound of the g.

      1860, Joseph Emerson Worcester, A comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language, Boston: Swan, Brewer, and Tileston, page 19

Origin

Translations

French réépeler
  • réépelerTranslations
Portuguese regrafar
  • regrafarTranslations
Spanish redeletrear, regrafiar
  • redeletrearTranslations
  • regrafiarTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

respell. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respell

MLA

“respell.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respell. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “respell,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/respell.

Source: respell on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.