Florida Teen Dev Shah Masterfully Spells Final Word 'Psammophile' To Win Scripps National Spelling Bee

On Thursday night, Largo, Florida's Dev Shah, aged 14, emerged as the victor of the highly anticipated 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Displaying remarkable linguistic prowess, Dev successfully spelled the challenging word 'psammophile' to secure the prestigious title and claim the coveted $50,000 first prize.

Dev Shah/Twitter

The Scripps National Spelling Bee witnessed intense competition, with a staggering 11 million participants from across the globe entering spelling competitions.

Dev Shah stood out among the top eleven finalists of this vast pool of talented spellers, showcasing his spelling skills and dedication to clinch the ultimate victory.

UnBEElievable! #Speller36 Dev Shah representing the SNSB Region One Bee in Largo, Florida is the Champion of the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee. His winning word? Psammophile. ? #spellingbee pic.twitter.com/ebM8jUU6xZ

¡ª Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) June 2, 2023

In an interview Friday on "CNN This Morning," Shah said, "I didn¡¯t know if it was happening¡ªif it was real or not."

The competition's preliminary rounds took place on Tuesday, and the quarterfinals and semifinals followed on Wednesday.

During the intense finals held in National Harbor, Maryland, on Thursday, Dev Shah displayed exceptional spelling skills.

Which were the words that Dev spelled flawlessly?

Dev successfully spelled challenging words such as schistorrhachis, aegagrus, rommack, and tolsester. In the final word round, Dev correctly identified the definition of chiromancy, someone, who predicts fortunes by examining the lines on the palm.

Reflecting on the competition, Dev admitted that it was a nerve-wracking experience.

He humorously described it as a nail-biter, using words he is familiar with from his trusted Merriam-Webster dictionary, such as laborious, grueling, Augean, and moiling.

"When you are on stage, the nerves get to you," he told CNN. "Even if spellers don¡¯t show it, the pressure does get to us."

According to Merriam-Webster, 'psammophile' refers to an organism that prefers to or thrives in sandy soils or areas.

In the showdown, Dev Shah competed against 14-year-old Charlotte Walsh from Merrifield, Virginia, with both being the last two contestants remaining.

Charlotte showcased exceptional spelling skills and secured the second-place position, earning $25,000 for her impressive performance.

Dev Shah/Twitter

Throughout the competition, she successfully spelled challenging words like akuammine, collembolous, and Jhangar.

This year's National Spelling Bee saw many participants, with over 180 first-timers and 49 returning contestants. As for Dev, he had previously achieved a tied 51st place in 2019 and finished in a secured 76th position in 2021, showing his dedication to improving his performance.

In an interview with CNN, Dev shared his preparation strategy for this year's contest. He focused on studying the roots of words, aiming to enhance his readiness for the competition.

"If I got a word I didn¡¯t know, I then could figure it out," he said.

What did Dev Win?

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Dev, a student at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School in Pinellas Park, Florida, not only secured the championship title but also received additional honors and rewards.

As part of his victory, Dev was granted $2,000 in book money to be donated to the school of his choice. In addition, he was awarded a $2,500 cash prize and a reference book award from Merriam-Webster.

Dev also received reference materials worth $400 from the Encyclopedia Britannica, further enriching his academic resources.

"It¡¯s surreal. ¡­ My legs are still shaking," he said at the end of the competition.

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