Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow? May 28, 2019

Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow?

You might recognize our homepage friend from the logo of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, an annual US competition since 1925. Why’s it called a spelling bee? Because another meaning of ‘bee’ is any kind of gathering or meeting for collective work or competition, like a quilting bee or, yes, a spelling bee. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is being held this week in National Harbor, Maryland, and savvy spellers from grade schools and middle schools around the world will compete for top honors.

© Konrad Wothe/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

May 28, 2018Honoring the fallen
May 28, 2020Old man s whiskers growing wild
May 28, 2021Freeloaders of the avian world
May 28, 2022Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park, Australia
May 28, 2023Tegallalang terrace farms in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
May 28, 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
May 28, 2025World Otter Day
May 28, 2026Old city wall of Hwaseong Fortress, Suwon, South Korea

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 13, 2024Lake Magadi, Kenya
Jan 15, 2022To Sua Ocean Trench
Mar 27, 2022World Theatre Day
May 4, 2024Star Wars Day
Feb 11, 2020Celebrating women in science
Aug 17, 2022Freshwater plants in Aquário Natural, Brazil
May 27, 2020Clouds over the River of Grass
Aug 16, 2019Shining like Klondike gold
Feb 12, 2019To Roswell, and beyond!
Aug 2, 2020Bellissima!
Aug 31, 2022Blue linckia sea stars in Papua New Guinea
Dec 3, 2020A Carpathian Christmas celebration
Nov 3, 2022International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Oct 20, 2018Moody skies over Valletta
Apr 8, 2020Santorini through the clouds
Jul 12, 2026Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine
Nov 21, 2025World Hello Day
Nov 6, 2022New York City Marathon
May 9, 2019An endless journey
Feb 15, 2023Hippo family in Chobe National Park, Botswana
Apr 5, 2025Gaztelugatxe at sunset, Basque Country, Spain
Aug 22, 2021A wild, craggy corner of the United States
Apr 23, 2024World Book Day
Oct 3, 2025Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Jun 16, 2018Drop in on International Surfing Day
Jul 29, 2020Góða ólavsøku, from the Faroes!
Jun 23, 2024Dhaka, Bangladesh
Feb 21, 2024Yosemite National Park, California
Jun 30, 2018The aftermath of a meteorite
Jun 25, 2025Glastonbury Festival begins