Murraya is "a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves and flowers with imbricated petals," according to Spelling Bee officials. The winning word came after the runner up, Chaitra Thummala, 12, from San Francisco, misspelled the compound word "neroli oil." After correctly spelling "Murraya," Avant-garde took home $50,000, the Scripps Cup and a slate of other prizes. A historic spelling bee returns In 2020, the spelling bee was canceled for the first time since 1945 due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year, students competed remotely in each stage of the Spelling Bee, before the finalists came together at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney Resort.