spelling bee

a spelling competition won by the individual or team spelling the greatest number of words correctly; spelldown.

Origin of spelling bee

First recorded in 1870–75

Why allocate education dollars to a community perceived to be off the charts with spelling-bee winners and academic scholars?

Asian-Americans Reject ‘Good’ News in Pew Report |Joie Chen |June 26, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Rosalie did not know that the teacher was to leave Tinkletown surreptitiously until after the spelling-bee.

The Daughter of Anderson Crow |George Barr McCutcheon
It had a good deal the look of a spelling-bee with a teacher who meant to stand no nonsense.

The Huntress |Hulbert Footner
There was a spelling-bee every Friday afternoon, for Sam the only endurable event of the school exercises.

Mark Twain, A Biography, 1835-1910, Complete |Albert Bigelow Paine

He had not returned to his home after the spelling-bee, nor had he been seen since.

The Daughter of Anderson Crow |George Barr McCutcheon

spelling bee

a contest in which players are required to spell words according to orthographic conventions

C19: from bee ²