304 words every grade 5 speller should know, each with a kid-friendly definition. Hear them read aloud and practice for free with the Spellaroo spelling quiz.
High-frequency words students should recognize instantly.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| afternoon | time between noon and evening |
| am | first person singular of be |
| amount | quantity; how much |
| bill | statement of money owed |
| broken | damaged; not working |
| building | structure with walls and roof |
| carefully | with great attention |
| circle | round shape |
| clothes | things worn on body |
| cold | having low temperature |
| company | business; group of people |
| condition | state of being |
| describe | to tell about in detail |
| diagram | drawing that explains |
| energy | power to do work |
| engine | machine that makes things move |
| experiment | test to learn something |
| express | to show feelings or ideas |
| figure | number; shape; to solve |
| fraction | part of whole number |
| increase | to make or become larger |
| instrument | tool; device for making music |
| invented | created something new |
| kill | to cause death |
| moment | very short time |
| object | thing you can see and touch |
| perhaps | maybe; possibly |
| position | place where something is |
| president | leader of country or organization |
| quarter | one fourth; 25 cents |
| receive | to get something given |
| region | area of land |
| repeat | to do or say again |
| section | part of something larger |
| sense | ability to see, hear, smell, taste, touch |
| serve | to help; to give food |
| solution | answer to problem |
| syllables | parts of spoken word |
| thousand | the number 1,000 |
| village | small town |
| weight | how heavy something is |
| written | past participle of write |
| wrong | not correct |
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| Easter | spring holiday |
| ability | skill or talent |
| accept | to take what is offered |
| accident | something bad that happens by chance |
| accurate | correct and exact |
| action | something that is done |
| active | busy; engaged in action |
| activity | something to do |
| address | where someone lives |
| adventure | exciting and dangerous experience |
| advice | helpful suggestions |
| airplane | flying machine |
| although | even though |
| ancient | very old |
| announce | to tell everyone |
| apology | expression of regret |
| appear | to come into view |
| approach | to come near |
| argument | disagreement with reasons |
| arrange | to put in order |
| artist | person who creates art |
| attack | to try to hurt |
| attend | to be present at |
| attention | careful listening or watching |
| attract | to pull toward |
| author | person who writes books |
| average | typical; middle amount |
| avoid | to stay away from |
| banana | yellow curved fruit |
| battery | device that stores energy |
| bedroom | room for sleeping |
| behavior | way of acting |
| benefit | something good you get |
| biology | study of living things |
| blanket | cover for keeping warm |
| bridge | structure over water |
| budget | plan for spending money |
| cabinet | storage furniture |
| calculate | to work out using math |
| cancer | serious disease |
| capture | to catch or take |
| career | profession or job |
| cartoon | funny drawing |
| castle | large stone building |
| category | group of similar things |
| century | 100 years |
| challenge | difficult task |
| chapter | part of book |
| character | person in story; personality |
| chemical | substance made in laboratory |
| choice | option to pick from |
| citizen | member of country |
| classroom | room for learning |
| closet | small room for storage |
| collect | to gather together |
| college | school after high school |
| colony | settlement in new land |
| comfort | feeling of ease |
| comment | remark or observation |
| communicate | to share information |
| community | group of people living together |
| compare | to examine similarities |
| compete | to try to win |
| complete | finished; whole |
| comprehend | to understand |
| computer | electronic machine |
| conclusion | end; final decision |
| conductor | person who leads orchestra |
| connect | to join together |
| consider | to think about carefully |
| contain | to hold inside |
| continent | large land mass |
| contrast | to show differences |
| control | to direct or manage |
| cottage | small house |
| courage | being brave |
| cousin | child of aunt or uncle |
| create | to make something new |
| creative | able to make new things |
| culture | way of life |
| curiosity | desire to learn |
| custom | usual way of doing |
| debate | discussion of different views |
| decade | period of ten years |
| decision | choice that is made |
| defend | to protect |
| deliver | to bring to someone |
| demand | to ask strongly |
| democracy | government by the people |
| depend | to rely on |
| desert | dry sandy area |
| develop | to grow or improve |
| device | tool or machine |
| diamond | precious clear stone |
| disease | sickness |
| distance | space between two points |
| divide | to separate into parts |
| double | two times as much |
| earlier | before now |
| editor | person who fixes writing |
| effort | trying hard |
| election | choosing by voting |
| element | basic part |
| enjoy | to like doing |
| enormous | extremely large |
| entire | whole; complete |
| equation | mathematical statement |
| escape | to get away |
| especially | more than others |
| estimate | to guess amount |
| evening | time before dark |
| evidence | proof |
| exactly | precisely; just right |
| excellent | extremely good |
| except | not including |
| exercise | activity for health |
| expect | to think will happen |
| explain | to make clear |
| explore | to look around |
| factory | place where things are made |
| familiar | well known |
| famous | well-known |
| fashion | style of clothes |
| feature | important part |
| fence | barrier around area |
| finger | part of hand |
| finish | to complete |
| forget | to not remember |
| fortunate | lucky |
| function | purpose; to work |
| future | time that will come |
| galaxy | group of stars |
| garage | place for cars |
| geography | study of earth's features |
| govern | to rule |
| government | system of ruling country |
| grammar | rules for using language |
| grocery | food store |
| guitar | musical instrument |
| hamburger | meat sandwich |
| handle | part you hold |
| harvest | to gather crops |
| healthy | in good condition |
| height | how tall something is |
| history | study of past events |
| holiday | special day |
| hospital | place for sick people |
| husband | married man |
| ignore | to pay no attention |
| imagination | ability to create mental images |
| improve | to make better |
| include | to contain as part |
| indeed | really; truly |
| influence | power to affect others |
| insect | small bug |
| instead | in place of |
| interest | wanting to know more |
| invite | to ask to come |
| island | land surrounded by water |
| jacket | short coat |
| journey | long trip |
| junior | younger |
| justice | fairness |
| keyboard | part of computer |
| ladder | steps for climbing |
| language | system of communication |
| leader | person in charge |
| machine | device that does work |
| market | place to buy things |
| matter | to be important |
| measure | to find size or amount |
| measurement | act of measuring size |
| member | person in group |
| memory | ability to remember |
| method | way of doing |
| mirror | glass that shows reflection |
| modern | new; up to date |
| muscle | body part that moves |
| nature | the natural world |
| necessary | required; essential |
| nephew | son of sibling |
| notice | to see or observe |
| operate | to make work |
| ordinary | normal; usual |
| organism | living being |
| package | wrapped bundle |
| palace | large fancy house |
| paragraph | group of sentences on one topic |
| parent | mother or father |
| pencil | writing tool |
| person | human being |
| police | people who keep order |
| popular | liked by many |
| potato | round vegetable |
| present | gift; now |
| prevent | to stop from happening |
| produce | to make |
| protect | to keep safe |
| quality | how good something is |
| quickly | in fast way |
| reason | why something happens |
| recipe | directions for cooking |
| reduce | to make smaller |
| relate | to connect |
| remain | to stay |
| remove | to take away |
| rescue | to save from danger |
| restaurant | place where meals are served |
| result | what happens because |
| return | to come back |
| review | to look at again |
| rhythm | pattern of beats |
| safety | being safe |
| salary | money earned from work |
| sample | small part to test |
| science | study of natural world |
| season | time of year |
| second | after first |
| secret | something hidden |
| select | to choose |
| service | helpful work |
| shadow | dark shape |
| signal | sign or message |
| simple | easy; not complex |
| soldier | person in army |
| source | where something comes from |
| speech | talking to group |
| spirit | inner feeling |
| square | shape with four equal sides |
| stomach | body part for food |
| strange | unusual; odd |
| student | person who learns |
| subject | topic to study |
| success | doing well |
| suggest | to give idea |
| supply | to provide |
| support | to help |
| symbol | sign that stands for |
| ticket | paper for entry |
| tomato | red round fruit |
| travel | to go places |
| trouble | problem; difficulty |
| turkey | large bird |
| uncle | parent's brother |
| understand | to know meaning |
| uniform | same clothes |
| universe | all of space |
| unusual | not normal |
| vacation | time off |
| valley | low area between hills |
| vegetable | plant food |
| volcano | mountain that erupts |
| volume | amount; loudness |
| welcome | to greet nicely |
| western | from the west |
| wonder | to think about |
| worry | to feel nervous |
| xylophone | musical instrument with wooden bars |
| yourself | you personally |
| zebra | striped animal |
| zipper | fastener with teeth |