It's not the kind of word that gets tossed around the dinner table every night: "bombilation," meaning a humming sound or a booming.

But Talmage Nakamoto, an eighth-grader at Konawaena Middle School on the Big Island, spelled bombilation correctly yesterday in the 18th round of some grueling competition to retain his title as Hawai'i's champion speller at the The Honolulu Advertiser's 24th Hawai'i State Spelling Bee at Windward Community College. Fourteen super spellers from all over the state grappled for the crown.

The animated and entertaining Logan Davis, an 'Iolani eighth-grader, was knocking 'em dead until he tripped up on "cantabank" (a strolling singer of ballads) for second spot.

Trinity Christian School's Philip Bretz, an eighth-grader, took third place. He performed with aplomb until Round 16, when he ran up against "phonasthenia," an erudite noun meaning weakness or hoarseness of voice.

Maui champ Gabriel Salazar, a seventh-grader at Maui Waena Intermediate, placed fourth when "opprobrious" (disgraceful or shameful) had him bowing out gracefully in Round 15.

Talmage's coach, Georgia Goeas, was bursting with pride after the bee. The Konawaena teacher described her charge as "an avid reader who loves to have fun with words."

His strength, Goeas said, was "a great ability to break words apart" once he discerns their origin. She said Talmage was "fantastic, a joy to work with."

Meanwhile, Talmage was telling an interviewer that he felt "lucky and nervous." He also said the reason he broke up with laughter when he was asked to spell "surgeon" was that, "I thought it was a trick. The word was so easy."

On his repeat performance, he said, "I was surprised to win it once, much less twice."

Pretty heady stuff, but Talmage's mom, Traci, is no stranger to the limelight. Her oldest son, Teagan, was the Big Island spelling champion in 2005 and 2006.

"Talmage reads three books a day," said the mother of six, smiling widely.

Runner-up Logan had seemed the most at ease of all the contestants. Asked to spell "condor" he spread his arms like wings when he inquired if the word were "condor" (vulture) or "candor" (frankness, sincerity).

When he asked the definition of "deprecatory" and moderator Rep. Lyle Berg, D-11th, (Kuli'ou'ou, Niu Valley, 'Aina Haina) told him that one meaning was being deeply apologetic, he replied, "I'm so sorry."

When told that "antipasto" was Italian in origin, he started gesturing with his hands. At another point he gave a joyful kick as he headed back to his chair after spelling "entourage."

"I make up jokes about all the words when I study them to deal with the boredom," he explained after the meet. "Then I just keep telling jokes."

Logan will be heading to Dayton, Ohio, in May with the 'Iolani team when it takes part in the national robotics competition.

Throughout yesterday's contest, the Paliku Theatre crowd of more than 150 was enthusiastic and impressed.

A murmur of dread was clearly audible when Hannah Komar was asked to spell "graphospasm" in Round 9. Sure enough, the word for muscular spasms of thumb and forefinger while writing proved too much for even the dauntless seventh-grader from Our Savior Lutheran.

"Ever hear that word before?" a reporter whispered to her as she took a seat in the audience.

"No," Hannah confided — and she studies her spelling nine hours a week.

Talmage receives a trip for two to Washington, D.C., and will represent Hawai'i in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May, among other prizes.

The other competitors were Alyssa Medd, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School; Charlie Kahepuu, Waimea Canyon School; Malia Smith, St. Anthony School; Talya Jaffe, Kihei Charter School; Jamaica Go, Holy Family Catholic Academy; Reina DeCosta, Highlands Intermediate; Brianne Tabios, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Bri'el Kashiwamura, Hawai'i Baptist Academy, and Madison Inman, Hawaii Preparatory Academy.