Toponyms in the Spelling Bee Lexicon
Updated 2025-04-15
The LexiConnexxions topical analysis has identified dozens of toponyms – words derived from place-names – in the A-O portion of Spelling Bee lexicon, which comprises 74% of the entire lexicon. This list will continue to grow as the analysis continues and as new words are added to the lexicon.
Words marked with an asterisk have been used in at least one Bee puzzle, then subsequently disallowed; they are retained here for historical interest.
M-W refers to Merriam-Webster (abridged); NOAD refers to the New Oxford American Dictionary. Please review the important note HERE about the use of dictionaries by the Spelling Bee editor.
M-W refers to Merriam-Webster (abridged); NOAD refers to the New Oxford American Dictionary. Please review the important note HERE about the use of dictionaries by the Spelling Bee editor.
TOPONYMS in the Spelling Bee Lexicon
BEE WORD: Definition from Merriam-Webster AMAZON: M-W often capitalized: any of a genus (Amazona) of tropical American parrots typically having green plumage marked with other bright colors, named for the belief that they were native to Amazonian junglesANGORA: the hair of the Angora rabbit or Angora goat, or a yarn of Angora rabbit hair used especially for knitting. (In the names of animals -- Angora cat, Angora rabbit, Angora goat – the adjective is proper.) From Ankara (historically known as Angora), in present-day Turkey.ARABICA: an evergreen shrub or tree (Coffea arabica) yielding seeds that produce a high-quality coffee; from New Latin, specific epithet of Coffea arabica, from Latin, feminine of Arabicus ArabianARBORIO: M-W: always in the open compound “arborio rice.” Named for Arborio, village in Piedmont region of ItalyARCADIA: a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet; named for Arcadia, region of ancient Greece frequently chosen as background for pastoral poetryARCADIAN: related to arcadia, a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet; named for Arcadia, region of ancient Greece frequently chosen as background for pastoral poetryATTIC: Attic in classical architecture meant "a small, square decorative column of the type often used in a low story above a building's main facade," a feature associated with the region around Athens (that is, Attic). The word then was applied by architects to "a low decorative facade above the main story of a building" (1690s in English), and it then came to mean the space enclosed by such a structure.BABEL: a confusion of sounds or voices, or a scene of noise or confusion; named for Babel, a city in Shinar where the building of a tower is held in Genesis to have been halted by the confusion of tonguesBANTAM: a small chicken, named for Bantam, former village in Java where the birds are believed to have originatedBARB: any of a northern African breed of horses that are noted for speed and endurance; French barbe, from Italian barbero, from barbero of Barbary, from Barberia Barbary, coastal region in AfricaBIALY: a flat breakfast roll that has a depressed center and is usually covered with onion flakes; from bialystoker of Bialystok, city in PolandBIKINI: a two-piece bathing suit worn by women that does not cover the midriff; also, a short snug swimsuit worn by men; also, a pair of low-cut briefs; from Bikini, atoll of the Marshall IslandsBOCK: a dark lager beer with a high alcohol content that has a strong flavor of malt and a mild flavor of hops and is typically sold in the winter or early spring. German, short for Bockbier, by shortening & alteration from Einbecker Bier, literally, beer from Einbeck, from Einbeck, GermanyBOHO: a Bohemian: a person (such as a writer or an artist) living an unconventional life usually in a colony with others. From a transferred sense of French bohemién "a Bohemian; a Gypsy," from the country name (Bohemia), mistakenly believed to be the home of the Gypsies.BOLOGNA: a large smoked sausage of beef, veal, and pork; short for Bologna sausage, from Bologna, ItalyBOURBON: a rose (Rosa borboniana) of upright growth with shining leaves, prickly branches, and clustered large flowers; named after French rose de Bourbon, after the Île Bourbon (now Réunion, island of the western Mascarene Islands in the western Indian Ocean), where the rose likely originatedBOURBON: a whiskey distilled from a mash made up of not less than 51 percent corn plus malt and rye; probably named after Bourbon County, Kentucky, or its pre-statehood predecessor, a county of Virginia that included much of northeastern KentuckyCALICO: cotton cloth imported from India; British: a plain white cotton fabric that is heavier than muslin; any of various cheap cotton fabrics with figured patterns; from Calicut, IndiaCANARY: a small finch (Serinus canarius synonym S. canaria) of the Canary Islands that is usually greenish to yellow and is kept as a cage bird and singer;a light to a moderate or vivid yellow; a Canary Islands usually sweet wine similar to Madeira; an informer; a lively 16th century court dance; Middle French canarie, from Old Spanish canario, from Islas Canarias Canary IslandsCANOLA: Canola was originally a trademark name of the Rapeseed Association of Canada, and the name was a condensation of "Can" from Canada and "OLA" meaning "Oil, low acid" but is now a generic term for edible varieties of rapeseed oil in North America and Australasia.CAPITOL: a building in which a state legislative body meets; from Latin Capitolium, temple of Jupiter at Rome on the Capitoline hillCHARD: short for chardonnay (sometimes capitalized), a dry white table wine typically made from a single white grape variety originally grown in France; believed to be named after the village of Chardonnay in the Mâconnais region of FranceCHIANTI: M-W and NOAD both capitalize this dry usually red wine named for the Tuscany region of Italy where it is producedCHIHUAHUA: M-W capitalizes Chihuahua: any of a breed of very small roundheaded dogs that occur in short-coated and long-coated varieties, from Chihuahua, Mexico. NOAD does not capitalize.CHINA: porcelain; also: vitreous porcelain wares (such as dishes, vases, or ornaments) for domestic use; also, earthenware or porcelain tableware, from Persian chīnī Chinese porcelain, from ChinaCLINK: slang: a prison cell; slang: jail, prison; probably from Clink, a prison in Southwark, London, EnglandCOACH: a 2-door enclosed automobile; also, a bus, a large motor vehicle designed to carry passengers usually along a fixed route according to a schedule (toured the city by coach); also, a trailer, a vehicle designed to serve wherever parked as a temporary dwelling or place of business; also, a railroad passenger car intended primarily for day travel; Middle English coche, from Middle French, from German Kutsche, from Hungarian kocsi (szekér), literally, wagon from Kocs, HungaryCOACHMAN: from coach, from Middle English coche, from Middle French, from German Kutsche, from Hungarian kocsi (szekér), literally, wagon from Kocs, HungaryCOGNAC: a brandy from the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime distilled from white wine; French, from Cognac, FranceCOLOGNE: a perfumed liquid composed of alcohol and fragrant oils, named for Cologne, GermanyCONGA: a Cuban dance of African origin, or a tall barrel-shaped or tapering drum of Afro-Cuban origin; American Spanish, probably from feminine of congo, meaning black person, from Congo, region in AfricaCURACAO: a liqueur flavored with the dried peel of the sour orange; Dutch curaçao, from Curaçao, Netherlands AntillesCURRANT: a small seedless raisin originally grown chiefly in the eastern Mediterranean, or the acid edible fruit of various shrubs …Back-formation from earlier corawnce, currantes, ellipsis from Middle English reysouns of corans, borrowed from Anglo-French raisins de Curance "raisins of Corinth," from Corinth, GreeceDALMATIAN: often capitalized: : any of a breed of medium-sized dogs having a white short-haired coat with many black or brown spots; from the supposed origin of the breed in DalmatiaDECO: often capitalized, often attributive: Art Deco, a popular design style of the 1920s and 1930s … named for French Art Déco, from Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, an exposition … held in Paris, France, in 1925DELFT: tin-glazed Dutch earthenware with blue and white or polychrome decoration, or ceramic ware (such as tiles) resembling or imitative of Dutch delft; named for Delft, NetherlandsDENIM: a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric woven with colored warp and white filling threads; from French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, FranceDOLLAR: dollar derives from taler: Dutch or Low German daler, from German Taler, short for Joachimstaler, from Sankt Joachimsthal, Bohemia, where talers were first madeDONNYBROOK: a free-for-all, brawl; a usually public quarrel or dispute. Named for Donnybrook Fair, annual Irish event known for its brawlsDUFFEL: a coarse heavy woolen material with a thick nap, from the Dutch duffel, from Duffel, BelgiumDUFFLE: a M-W: variant of duffel, a coarse heavy woolen material with a thick nap, from the Dutch duffel, from Duffel, BelgiumDUMDUM: a bullet (such as one with a hollow point) that expands more than usual upon hitting an object; named for Dum Dum, arsenal near Calcutta, IndiaHOCK: often capitalized, chiefly British: Rhine wine, a usually white wine produced in the Rhine valley; modification of German Hochheimer, from Hochheim, GermanyINDICA: M-W has this only as part of the phrase “cannabis indica” -- a variety of cannabis obtained in IndiaINDIGO: a deep reddish blue; also, a blue vat dye obtained from plants (such as indigo plants); also, the principal coloring matter C16H10N2O2 of natural indigo usually synthesized as a blue powder with a coppery luster; also, a plant that yields indigo, especially: any of a genus (Indigofera) of leguminous herbs; Italian dialect, from Latin indicum, from Greek indikon, from neuter of indikos Indic, from Indos IndiaJAVA: coffee; named for Java, island in IndonesiaJEAN: a durable twilled cotton cloth used especially for sportswear and work clothes; or usually jeans: pants usually made of denim or jean, both short for jean fustian from Middle English Gene Genoa, Italy + fustianJETTY: deep black in color: jet-black; from jet, Middle English, from Anglo-French jaiet, from Latin gagates, from Greek gagatēs, from Gagas, town and river in Asia MinorLANDAU*: a four-wheel carriage with a top divided into two sections that can be folded away or removed and with a raised seat outside for the driver; named for Landau, Bavaria, GermanyLATEEN: (adj.) being or relating to a rig used especially on the north coast of Africa and characterized by a triangular sail extended by a long spar slung to a low mast; also (noun): a lateen-rigged ship or a lateen sail; from French (voile) latine, literally, Latin (Mediterranean) sailLAWN: a fine sheer linen or cotton fabric of plain weave that is thinner than cambric; Middle English lawne, laund, probably from Laon, FranceLIDO*: a fashionable beach resort, named for Lido, ItalyLILLIPUTIAN: often not capitalized: small, miniature; petty; derived from Lilliput, an island in Swift's Gulliver's Travels where the inhabitants are six inches tallLIMA: M-W has only lima bean, a bushy or vining tropical American bean (Phaseolus lunatus synonym Phaseolus limensis) that is widely cultivated for its flat edible starchy seed which is usually pale green when immature and whitish or beige when mature; also, the seed of a lima bean eaten usually cooked as a vegetable, named for Lima, PeruLIMO: shortened form of limousine, a large luxurious often chauffeur-driven sedan that usually has a glass partition separating the driver's seat from the passenger compartment; also, a large vehicle for transporting passengers to and from an airport; from French, literally, cloak, from Limousin, FranceLITTLENECK: a young quahog suitable to be eaten raw; called also littleneck clam; named for Littleneck Bay, Long Island, New YorkLOTTO: a game of chance resembling bingo; from Italian lotto "lottery, game of chance based on guessing numbers drawn from an urn" (originally lotto di Genova "Genoa lottery")LOVAGE: any of several aromatic perennial herbs of the carrot family, especially: a European herb (Levisticum officinale) sometimes cultivated for use in medicine especially as a diuretic and in cookery usually as a flavoring agent; from Middle English lovache, from Anglo-French luvasche, lovasche, from Late Latin levisticum, alteration of Latin ligusticum, from neuter of ligusticus Ligurian, from Ligur-, Ligus, noun, LigurianMAGENTA: a deep purplish red, named for Magenta, ItalyMAGNET: lodestone, naturally occurring magnetite possessing polarity; also, a body having the property of attracting iron and producing a magnetic field external to itself; specifically: a mass of iron, steel, or alloy that has this property artificially imparted; ; also, something that attracts (a box-office magnet); from Greek magnēs (lithos), literally, stone of Magnesia, ancient city in Asia MinorMANHATTAN: Manhattan, or less commonly manhattan: a cocktail consisting typically of whiskey, vermouth, and bitters; named for Manhattan, borough of New York CityMANILA: made of manila paper, a strong and durable paper of a brownish or buff color and smooth finish made originally from Manila hempMARATHON: a footrace run on an open course usually of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers); broadly: a long-distance race; also, an endurance contest; something (such as an event, activity, or session) characterized by great length or concentrated effort Marathon, Greece, site of a victory of Greeks over Persians in 490 BCE, the news of which was carried to Athens by a long-distance runnerMAYO: short for mayonnaise, a mixture made chiefly of egg yolks, vegetable oils, and vinegar or lemon juice and used especially as a dressing, condiment, or ingredient; [possible] from French sauce mayonnaise (1806), said by French sources to be corrupted from mahonnaise and to have been named in recognition of Mahon, seaport capital of the island of Minorca [etymonline.com]MECCA: a place regarded as a center for a specified group, activity, or interest (a mecca for shoppers), named from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a destination of pilgrims in the Islamic worldMOCHA: the small, irregular-shaped coffee beans of plants grown in the mountainous regions of Yemen that produce an earthy, strong coffee of usually medium to high acidity; also, a similar coffee grown in Ethiopia; also, the coffee prepared from mocha beans; also, a flavoring made of a strong coffee infusion or of a mixture of cocoa or chocolate with coffee; also, a flavoring made of a strong coffee infusion or of a mixture of cocoa or chocolate with coffee; also, a pliable suede-finished glove leather from African sheepskins; also, a dark chocolate-brown color; all named for Mocha, YemenMOROCCO: a fine leather from goatskin tanned with sumac, from Morocco, AfricaNANKEEN: a durable brownish yellow cotton fabric originally loomed by hand in China, from Nanking (Nanjing), China; also, nankeens plural: trousers made of nankeenNOVA: often capitalized: cured and smoked salmon, especially: salmon that has been cured in a mixture of salt and sugar and smoked at a low temperature; short for Nova Scotia salmon [analysis P-Z is continuing]