Karthik Nemmani has won the US National Spelling Bee, correctly spelling the word "koinonia" to win the 2018 title and take home $US40,000 ($A53,000).
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Nemmani, a 14-year-old from Texas, defeated a field of more than 515 spellers, aged eight to 15, hailing from across the US and eight other countries.
The definition of the winning word "koinonia" is: the Christian fellowship or body of believers, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
The 91st annual bee, which began on Tuesday and ends on Thursday night, was held in Washington DC with a worldwide audience tuning in for a live broadcast of the finals on ESPN.
Nemmani won the title during the finals, consisting of 16 spellers, the largest group ever included in the final broadcast round.
Australian Associated Press
