An Indian-American teenager from New York has overcome a competition of 11 million children from eight countries, and a dread of German-derived words to win a highly popular spelling competition.

Arvind Mahankali correctly spelled the word, "knaidel", a type of dumpling better known as matzah ball, emerging as champion of the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US state of Maryland on Thursday night.

He took home $30,000 in cash prize and $2,500 US savings bond along with a huge cup-shaped trophy.

Al Jazeera's Gerald Tan reports.