hink you can outspell a Victorian novelist or outwit a modern essayist? Put down your book and pick up your brain—it's time to prove your literary mettle.
Welcome to the Literary Spelling Bee Challenge! This quiz is designed for true lovers of literature—those who delight in the dustiest corners of the dictionary and have more than a passing acquaintance with the works of Woolf, Wharton, and Wilde. We’ve assembled 25 fiendishly tricky words that have appeared in classic and contemporary literature, from the opulent vocabularies of 19th-century prose to the lean precision of modern masters. Think you can outspell a Victorian novelist or outwit a modern essayist? Put down your book and pick up your brain—it's time to prove your literary mettle.
Which is the correct spelling of this word meaning a stronghold or fortress, often used metaphorically in literary criticism?
Bastion
Bastienne
Bastan
Basstian
What is the correct spelling of the word referring to the act of washing oneself, often ritually?
Ablution
Ablutian
Ablousion
Ablushen
How is the term for a witty, paradoxical saying correctly spelled?
Epigram
Epigrame
Epigramme
Epograme
Choose the correct spelling of this term for excessive talkativeness, often found in character descriptions.
Garrulous
Garulous
Garrullous
Garullus
Which is the correct spelling of a word describing gloomy or sullen temperament, used frequently in Gothic fiction?
Morose
Morrous
Murose
Morosse
Which is the correct spelling for a word meaning stubbornly resistant to authority?
Recalcitrant
Recalcetrant
Recalsitrant
Recalictrant
Pick the correct spelling for the term describing a mournful poem.
Ellegy
Elegy
Elegie
Elagy
Which spelling is correct for an often-misused word meaning “difficult to understand”?
Abstruse
Abstruce
Obstruce
Abstrusse
What is the proper spelling for the act of showing excessive pride?
Vainglory
Vanglory
Vainglore
Vaneglory
Choose the correct spelling for the rhetorical device that substitutes a part for the whole.
Synecdoche
Synekdoche
Sinectoche
Synectoche
Which spelling is correct for the practice of using overly complex vocabulary?
Grandiloquence
Grandiloquens
Grandelquence
Grandiloguence
Choose the right spelling for the word describing the deliberate use of understatement.
Litotes
Lytotes
Litotees
Litetes
Amnateur Speller
You’ve taken on a tough challenge, and there’s no shame in grappling with these literary landmines. These words stump even the most experienced readers—and you gave it a brave shot. The best part? Every misspelled word is now a new discovery, a step closer to mastery. Literature is full of beautiful, strange vocabulary, and diving deeper only sharpens your skills. Keep reading, keep exploring, and you’ll be ready to conquer the next spelling bee with greater confidence and flair.
Strong showing! You’re no stranger to the bookshelf, and your spelling skills are more refined than most. A few tricky terms may have escaped you, but you held your own in this demanding literary challenge. Your grasp of language suggests a seasoned reader with a sharp memory and a curious mind. Keep devouring those classics and exploring unfamiliar words—you’re well on your way to spelling greatness. This quiz proves your linguistic foundation is sturdy and ready for more.
Bravo! You’ve clearly roamed the literary landscape with purpose and passion. Your spelling prowess rivals that of the finest editors and the most fastidious novelists. From Gothic gloom to Romantic reveries, your command of literary language is exceptional. This quiz barely challenged your well-read mind. You’re not just a reader—you’re a curator of the written word. Celebrate your skill, and perhaps reward yourself with a dense Victorian novel or a Nabokovian turn of phrase. You’ve earned it.
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5/13/2025
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