A North Texas teen won this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

After coming in as runner-up in 2024, Faizan Zaki bested opponent Sarvadnya Kadam in the 20th round of the competition Thursday night.

The winning word? Éclaircissement.

What does éclaircissement mean?

The Oxford English dictionary defines "éclaircissement" as "an enlightening explanation of something, typically someone's conduct, that has been hitherto inexplicable."

Texas teen reacts to winning 2025 National Spelling Bee

Upon correctly spelling "éclaircissement," Zaki appeared to run out of breath before collapsing to the floor as confetti fell on him, and the crowd erupted.

"I can’t describe it," Zaki said minutes later. "It’s so amazing, getting to this point. Winning? I never expected this."

2025 spelling

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