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About This Quiz
OK, people. It's time to prove that 21st-century folks have what it takes to master 8th-grade vocabulary from the year 1912! Do your due diligence by taking this spelling test stuffed with 1912 words that will surprise you. As you'll soon see, some words have dropped from the lexicon, but many of them lived on and now possess a similar or different meaning.
And 1912 was such a pivotal time; the first World War was just a few years off, which changed everything, including how people communicated with each other. Loads of words were added after such a momentous event. In this quiz, we get to imagine a world at peace with itself. There were significant events that occurred in 1912, such as the start of the Republic of China, New Mexico and Arizona joining the U.S. as the 47th and 48th states of the union, and the Balkan War, which began in October 1912 ... oh, darn! So much for a world at peace with itself.
Nevertheless, this quiz will take you back to a time when 20th-century tots spewed big words like "yponomeutidae" and "ignominious" every chance they got. Can you pass an 8th-grade spelling test from 1912? Scroll on and see about it!
What is the correct spelling of the word that describes a geometrical figure?
Tetrahedron
In 1912, a tetrahedron was described as "a geometric shape that includes no more than four equilateral triangles." It was also "a figure with a polygon base and four equilateral triangular faces," or "one of five ordinary solids." A more modern definition of a tetrahedron is "a solid formed with four plane faces."
Tetahedrin
Titrohedran
Tedrahedron
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Can you identify the "lullaby"?
Beaceus
Berceuse
Definitions for "berceuse" included "a song for a crib" and "a softhearted musical composition." The word first appeared in 1876 and is derived from the Old French "bercier," meaning "to rock" a baby in a cradle.
Berceese
Bercause
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Which is the correct word for "strangler"?
Girotarr
Garroter
"Garroter" means "someone guilty of the offense of garroting." "Garrotte," with an extra letter "t," is a 1620s word that described a "Spanish style of capital punishment by way of strangulation." A 1912 definition of "garrote," with one letter "t," is "to seize someone by the throat, causing the person to be weak in order to easily rob him."
Gerrater
Garrotier
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It's a "concise literary or musical work." Do you recognize the correct spelling?
Opiscele
Opuscolle
Opuscule
A 1912 definition of "opuscule" was "a minuscule work" or "brochure." The term first appeared in 1530 to mean "a minor or petty work," a synonym for "opusculum."
Opuscuple
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What is the correct name of the "rock used to build an arch"?
Voossoir
Vaussoir
Voussoir
In 1912, a "voussoir" was described as "one of the wedge-shaped stones used to make a bridge's arc." The term was first used in 1728 to mean "a wedge-like element used to construct an arch or a vault."
Vousir
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In 1912, it was described as "a magic lamp." Can you spot the correct spelling?
Scioptione
Scopeticon
Sciopticon
The 1912 definition for "sciopticon" was "a magic lamp for presenting photographs." The word is rarely used today.
Sciopticin
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Which one of these choices is the correct spelling for "someone who lends money"?
Usoorer
Usurer
The 1912 definition of the word "usurer" hasn't changed. It has been defined as "someone who lends money at steep interest rates."
Usiriar
Usurerve
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Do you know the correct spelling of the gymnospermous plant's name?
Welwitschia
Today, "welwitschia" means "a desert plant found in southwestern Africa." A 1912 definition is "plant of Africa that produces only two large leaves."
Wielweetschia
Weelwitischa
Welwetschia
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It's the name of a toy, but trying to spell the difficult word is not a game. Can you identify the correct spelling?
Thaumotrope
Thaumatrope
The "thaumatrope" was a popular optical toy in the 19th century. A formal definition from 1912 is "an optical toy that presents the continuance of an illusion to the eye after a lucent element is removed."
Thraumotrop
Thamatrope
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Can you choose the correct spelling of the word that means "talkative"?
Loquacious
"Loquacious" currently means "possessing a tendency to talk a great deal," the same as it did in 1912. The adjective first appeared in the 1660s.
Loquiciaus
Laqucious
Loquatious
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This word means "deerlike." What is the correct spelling?
Creveen
Cirvina
Cervine
"Cervine" first appeared around 1828 to mean "similar to a deer." A nuanced definition of "cervine" from 1912 was "of a tawny-brown or taupe color."
Cerveen
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The essence of this word is "balance." What is the correct spelling?
Equopois
Equipoise
"Equipoise" first appeared in the 1650s as a contraction of the phrase "equal poise," which is a 1550s expression. A modern definition of "equipoise" is "a counterbalance of strength or principals."
Equipisse
Equipoese
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What is the correct spelling of this zoology term?
Avicalariem
Avicularium
"Avicularium" is a zoology term that means "minor clasping process that mimics a bird's head that's seen on certain bryozoans." A 1912 definition includes the clause: "that continually nips; seen in a substantial number of Polyzoa."
Aviculorim
Avicularoom
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Can you identify the correct spelling of the word that means "fertile"?
Phecind
Ficond
Fecund
The modern definition of "fecund" means "the skill to generate a lot of progeny or outgrowth." In 1912, "fecund" meant "fruitful" or "prolific."
Fecland
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What is the correct spelling of the "prison"?
Calaboose
"Calaboose" first appeared in 1792 as an American term that means "prison." The word is derived from the Spanish word "calabozo," which means "dungeon."
Calabose
Calaboise
Calaboss
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Can you identify the correct spelling of the recording instrument?
Kimograph
Kymograph
In 1912, "kymograph" was defined as "a device used for calculating blood pressure." Today, a "kymograph" is "an apparatus that pictorially records motion and pressure."
Kymigrah
Krymograph
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This word means "humiliating." What is the correct spelling?
Igniminius
Ignominis
Ignominious
"Ignominious" first appeared in the 15th century to mean "dishonorable" and "distinguished by humiliation." In 1912, the term held similar meanings: "scandalous," "shameful" and "infamous."
Ignomanious
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In 1912, this was a word for a "genus of small opossum."
Mormose
Marmose
The modern term that resembles "marmose" is "marmoset," which is "a little Central or South American primate." A 1912 definition of the now-archaic term "marmose" was "a genus of little opossum."
Marmis
Marmoose
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What's the right spelling for the name of this "bird" or "unit of money"?
Quietzal
Queitzal
Quetzal
A 1912 definition of "quetzal" is "bird of paradise from America." Today's definitions are more elucidating. A "quetzal" is "a trogon family bird as seen in the American tropical forests." "Quetzal" is also defined as "a basic unit of Guatemalan money."
Quetzale
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This word is an archaic term for "drum," and it's the current name for "eardrum." Can you identify the correct spelling?
Timpinum
Tympanum
"Tympanum" is most commonly associated with "eardrum." Definitions include: "membrane wall that divides the internal ear from the external ear," "an empty wheel with the shape of a drum," and "the leveled triangle-shaped subdivision of a pediment."
Tymponum
Timpanum
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What is the correct spelling of this word that's associated with "entertainment"?
Ridotio
Redetto
Ridotto
Today, a "ridotto" describes "a public masquerade gathering of the 18th century that consisted of music and dance." Definitions from 1912 include "dance and music community entertainment that originated in Italy" and "public gathering."
Ridot
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This complex term is the name for a "moth." What is the correct spelling?
Ypinoomeutida
Yponomeutidae
"Yponomeutidae" is considered a new Latin term that means "species of tineoid moths." A 1912 definition of "yponomeutidae" is "ermine moths."
Eyponimetidae
Eponomenutide
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This word is "golden." What's the right spelling?
Auriferous
"Auriferous" first appeared in 1727 to mean "that which contains gold." Definitions from 1912 include "possessing gold" and "yielding or bearing gold."
Awifirous
Auriferius
Aurtherous
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Can you choose the correct spelling of this "finicky" word?
Pernickety
"Pernickety" is a British term that means "fussy" or "overly-emphasizing trivial matters." Expressive 1912 definitions include "trim," "overly particular" and "overnice."
Pernickity
Purnickaty
Pirsnickety
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This word is an adjective that describes an attribute of a flower. Can you spot the right spelling?
Zigimorphous
Zygamorfous
Zygomorphous
"Zygomorphous" is a botany term that means "a flower that possesses just one symmetry plane; or one that is symmetrical bilaterally." A 1912 definition is "something which is formed as a yoke; pertaining specifically to subdivided flowers."
Zygomorfous
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The modern definition of this word is "murmuring" or "whispering." What's the correct spelling?
Sasurrus
Susurrus
"Murmuring," "rustling" and "whispering" are modern synonyms of "susurrus." In 1912, "susurrus" held the meaning, "a delicate whisper as that of a light breeze; the far-off sound of bees humming."
Susurros
Susurris
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What is the correct spelling of the word associated with "deacon"?
Deaconal
Diaconal
In 1912, "diaconal" meant "relating to a deacon." Today's meaning of "diaconal" also attributes the term to the female form "deaconess."
Daconial
Diacinal
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"Timeworn" is a synonym for this word. What's the right spelling?
Hacnoid
Hackneyid
Hackneyed
"Hackneyed" is an adjective that means "void of ingenuity." "Worn down" and "commonplace" are 1912 definitions of the term.
Hackeyed
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What's the right spelling for this term that means "residual"?
Nubbon
Nubbin
"Nubbin" means "remnant" or "small bit," as in "nub." It also means "that which is underdeveloped when equated with others of its type." In 1912, "nubbin" meant "little or flawed ear of maize."
Nubbian
Nabbin
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What's the right spelling of the word that means "sleepwalking"?
Summambalism
Samnambulisn
Somnambulism
"Somnambulism" has preserved its meaning since 1912; it means "the act or exercise of sleepwalking." The term is of French origin and first appeared in 1786 to mean "traveling in one's sleep, or hypnotized."
Somnanbilism
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This word means "purse." What's the correct spelling?
Portmonaie
Partimonnoie
Portemonnaie
In 1912, "portemonnaie" was written without the hyphen that is used in the word today. This French word means "a purse or little pocketbook."
Pertemonnaie
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What is the correct spelling of the term for "a reformatting of a literary work or musical opus"?
Riaficimanto
Rifacimento
In 1912, "rifacimento" meant "the adaptation or remake of a book or play." The Italian word has preserved its meaning since then. The plural form is "rifacimenti."
Rifacimentio
Rifacimanto
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Can you spot the correct spelling of this "chemical element"?
Xenion
Zeenan
Xenon
A 1912 definition of "xenon" was "the weightiest of the five newly discovered fundamental substances of a gas form in the atmosphere." Today's definition for "xenon" is "chemistry element with atomic number 54; a noble gas within its series; acquired through purification of liquid air."
Xinen
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This word means "possessing qualities as a viper." What is the correct spelling?
Vepirous
Viperous
"Viperous" is an adjective synonymous with "cancerous" and "viperine," and means "having the characteristics of a viper." The 1912 definitions of this term are the same.
Viparious
Vipirious
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This term describes "a youthful condition." What's the correct spelling?
Juveescint
Juveenescet
Juvenescent
In 1912, "juvenescent" meant "turning young." Modern definitions of the term include "youthful" or "youthful change."
Juveniscant
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