Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell dumbwaiter

What it means: A small elevator for transporting items between floors.

In a sentence: The cat rode up on the dumbwaiter like it was a tiny elevator. ▶

The part people get wrong

Watch for a silent b. Often misspelled as dumwaiter or dumb-waiter.

Same family: waiter, waiting, service, elevator, lift. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: The word “dumbwaiter” comes from the idea of a silent (dumb = not speaking) ‘waiter’ that carries food and dishes between floors. It first appeared in English in the 18th century, when wealthy homes used these small lifts to move meals discreetly without servants being seen or heard.

Patterns it uses: Silent letters

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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