Hanukkah spelling words give December spelling practice a fresh theme, and they come with a built-in lesson: many of them are transliterated from Hebrew, so more than one spelling can be right. This guide gives you 60 words sorted by grade, explains which spelling to accept in a bee, and shows how to turn the list into quick classroom games. In 2026, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, so plan your lists for late November or the first week of December.
If you want to test your students' skills between lessons, our free spelling bee answers archive and genius calculator are good warm-ups for older students who like word puzzles.
Why Hanukkah words are great for spelling practice
Most spelling lists drill patterns: silent letters, doubled consonants, tricky vowel teams. Hanukkah vocabulary covers all of those and adds something rare in an English classroom: words that entered English from another alphabet. Hebrew is written in its own letters, so when a word like Hanukkah moves into English, people choose Roman letters to match the sound. Different publishers chose differently, which is why you see Hanukkah, Chanukah and Hanukah.
That gives you a teachable moment. Students learn that a dictionary records usage, that a main entry and a variant can both be correct, and that a contest needs one agreed source. It is the same lesson behind official bees, which name a single dictionary for every ruling. Our guide on how the spelling bee dictionary is chosen explains why that matters.
Which spelling of Hanukkah should students use?
Merriam-Webster lists Hanukkah as the main entry and gives Chanukah as a variant. Most American newspapers and school materials use Hanukkah, so it is the safest choice for a class list. The "ch" at the start of Chanukah stands for a throaty sound that English does not have, so many readers say it like an "h." Teach students to spell the main entry, but accept the variant when a child explains where it comes from.
The same logic applies to latkes (sometimes latkas), sufganiyot (sometimes sufganiot) and hanukkiah (sometimes chanukiah). For any graded test or bee, write the accepted spelling on the list you send home, and tell families which dictionary you used.
Hanukkah spelling words for kindergarten and grade 1
Short, decodable words work best for early readers. Pair each word with a picture card so students connect the sound and the object.
| Word | Pattern to notice |
|---|---|
| oil | vowel team "oi" |
| gift | short i, consonant blend "ft" |
| light | "igh" makes the long i sound |
| eight | "eigh" makes the long a sound |
| spin | blend "sp" |
| top | short o |
| play | "ay" at the end |
| game | silent e |
| sing | "ng" ending |
| gold | long o before "ld" |
Eight is the anchor word for this age. There are eight nights of Hanukkah, which gives you a natural way to practise counting and spelling number words together.
Hanukkah spelling words for grades 2 and 3
At this level students can handle two-syllable words and a few holiday names. Introduce the special vocabulary with a short story or picture book, then move to the list.
| Word | Teaching tip |
|---|---|
| candle | "-le" ending |
| dreidel | "ei" says long a; two syllables |
| latkes | plural of latke; potato pancakes |
| menorah | three syllables: men-or-ah |
| festival | "-al" ending |
| family | three syllables, "y" ending |
| holiday | compound-like: holi + day |
| blessing | double s before "-ing" |
| doughnut | silent "gh" |
| potato | plural is potatoes with "e" |
| winter | "er" ending |
| shine | silent e changes i to long i |
| bright | "igh" again |
| coins | "oi" plus plural s |
| nights | "igh" plus plural s |
Dreidel is the word students most often misspell. Point out that the "ei" in the middle sounds like the long a in day, just like in eight. Grouping the two words together helps the pattern stick.
Hanukkah spelling words for grades 4 and 5
Older elementary students can tackle the transliterated words and longer English vocabulary about history and celebration.
| Word | Meaning or tip |
|---|---|
| Hanukkah | the main dictionary spelling; double k |
| shamash | the helper candle used to light the others |
| sufganiyot | jelly doughnuts eaten during Hanukkah |
| gelt | coins, often chocolate coins in gold foil |
| tradition | "-tion" ending |
| celebrate | soft c at the start |
| rededication | prefix "re-" plus dedication |
| temple | "-le" ending |
| miracle | "-cle" ending |
| Maccabees | double c, double e |
| Jerusalem | capital letter; four syllables |
| freedom | "ee" plus "-dom" suffix |
| applesauce | compound word |
| sour cream | two words |
| neighbor | "eigh" again |
The word Hanukkah itself means "dedication" in Hebrew. That is why rededication belongs on this list: it connects the English vocabulary to the meaning of the holiday's name. Hebcal's Chanukah 2026 page has a clear summary you can read aloud.
Hanukkah spelling words for middle school
Middle school students can handle precise vocabulary and the reasons behind it. Add a definition column and ask students to use each word in a sentence.
| Word | Meaning or tip |
|---|---|
| hanukkiah | the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah |
| candelabrum | a branched candle holder; plural candelabra |
| commemorate | double m, then single m |
| Kislev | the Hebrew month when Hanukkah begins |
| transliteration | writing a word in another alphabet |
| perseverance | "-ance" ending, not "-ence" |
| illuminate | double l |
| luminous | related root "lumin" |
| Hellenistic | double l; capital H |
| Seleucid | soft c; capital S |
| sanctuary | "-uary" ending |
| observance | "-ance" ending |
| kindling | "-ling" ending |
| dreidels | plural, no apostrophe |
| sufganiyah | singular of sufganiyot |
Two pairs make good challenge rounds. Candelabrum and candelabra teach Latin plurals, and sufganiyah and sufganiyot show a Hebrew plural ending. Students who like word origins can compare these with other irregular plurals they know, such as cactus and cacti.
Teaching the dreidel letters
A dreidel has four sides, each with a Hebrew letter: nun, gimel, hei and shin. Together they stand for a Hebrew phrase meaning "a great miracle happened there." In the game, each letter tells the spinner what to do with the pot of tokens.
You can turn this into a spelling activity. Write the four letter names on the board and have students spell them in English, then play a round where each spin decides how many points a correctly spelled word earns. It keeps the whole class engaged and links the spelling list to the actual game families play.
Five classroom games with the Hanukkah word list
You do not need a full bee to make these words stick. Each of these takes ten to fifteen minutes.
- Eight-night challenge. Give students eight words, one per "night." Each correct spelling lights a paper candle on a class menorah poster. When all eight are lit, the class earns a small reward.
- Dreidel spelling. Students spin a dreidel (or a spinner app). The letter decides whether they spell the next word, pass, spell two words, or choose a classmate.
- Pattern sort. Print the list on cards and ask small groups to sort words by spelling pattern: "igh," "ei," double letters, "-tion."
- Transliteration detectives. Give older students three spellings of the same word and have them look up which one the class dictionary lists as the main entry.
- Mini bee. Run a short oral bee using our guide on how to run a classroom spelling bee. Use the grade-level list as the official list and the dictionary rule from earlier.
Mixing Hanukkah words into a wider December list
Many classrooms celebrate several winter holidays, so a mixed list keeps everyone included. Combine five Hanukkah words with five from our Christmas spelling words and five general winter spelling words. If your school also observes Kwanzaa, which runs from December 26 to January 1, add a few words such as unity and harvest.
Keep the list balanced: one tricky transliterated word per week is plenty for younger students. The point is spelling practice with a festive theme, not a quiz on religious knowledge. Explain the meaning of each word briefly and respectfully, and let families who celebrate share their own traditions if they want to.
Tips for teaching transliterated words
- Name the source. Tell students which dictionary your list follows and stick to it.
- Say it, then spell it. Model the pronunciation first. "Ha-noo-kah" with the stress on the first syllable is common in American English.
- Chunk long words. Split sufganiyot into suf-ga-ni-yot and practise each piece.
- Use the double letters. Hanukkah has a double k; Maccabees has a double c and a double e. Highlight them in color.
- Accept explained variants. If a student writes Chanukah and can tell you why, that shows more understanding than a memorized spelling.
Printable list for sending home
Copy this short list into a newsletter or homework sheet. It covers a range of difficulty, so families can choose the right level:
oil, light, eight, gift, spin, candle, dreidel, latkes, menorah, festival, doughnut, Hanukkah, shamash, gelt, tradition, miracle, celebrate, hanukkiah, commemorate, illuminate.
Add a note that Hanukkah 2026 starts on the evening of December 4, and invite students to practise the words at home during the eight nights.
Teaching about more December holidays? Try our Kwanzaa spelling words.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct spelling of Hanukkah?
Merriam-Webster lists Hanukkah as the main entry and Chanukah as a variant. Both are accepted, but Hanukkah is the most common spelling in American school materials, so use it on class lists.
When does Hanukkah start in 2026?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. That makes late November and early December the best time to use this word list.
What are good Hanukkah spelling words for kindergarten?
Short, decodable words work best: oil, gift, light, eight, spin, top, play, game, sing and gold. Pair each word with a picture so young students connect the sound and the object.
Why does Hanukkah have so many spellings?
The word comes from Hebrew, which uses a different alphabet. People write its sounds with English letters in different ways, so Hanukkah, Chanukah and Hanukah all appear in print.
How do you spell the Hanukkah spinning top?
It is spelled dreidel. The "ei" in the middle makes a long a sound, the same as in eight, which is a helpful pattern to teach together.
Can I use these words in a classroom spelling bee?
Yes. Choose the grade-level list, name one dictionary as the official source and tell families in advance. Our classroom spelling bee guide explains how to run the rounds.