Word Games Supplement

Players of word games are often at an advantage if they have ready access to a supply of short words that can be regarded as valid for the purposes of the game. Particularly useful are words of only two letters, words with a q not followed by u, and words beginning with x. Many of these words are excluded from this dictionary (which concentrates on current usage) because they are rare, obsolete, or occur only in dialects.

All the words in the following lists are attested in one of the great historical dictionaries (such as the Oxford English Dictionary and the English Dialect Dictionary) or are included in a major American dictionary.

Words marked with an asterisk (*) are obsolete but are subject to modern rules of inflection. Those marked with a dagger (†) are obsolete and were not in use after the Middle English period (ending in 1500); these words cannot be assumed to form plurals and verbal inflections in the modern style (for example, the plural of ac is aec, not ‘acs’).

Excluded from these lists are names of people and places etc. and abbreviations (such as Dr, Mr) which are not pronounced as they are spelt, and suffixes and other elements which have never been current as independent words; most word games do not regard these as valid items. An arbitrary limit of six letters has been imposed throughout.



Two-letter words

Note

This list does not include plurals of the names of letters of the alphabet (bs, ds, ms, ts, etc.). These are correct formations but are not always regarded by word game players as acceptable.

aa n. rough cindery lava.
ab v. (dial.) hinder,—n. (dial.) hindrance.
†ac n. (pl. aec) oak.
ad n. (colloq.) advertisement.
ae adj., n., & pron. (Sc.) one.
af prep. (dial.) of; off.
ah int. expressing surprise.
ai n. three-toed sloth.
ak n. (dial.) oak.
†al predet. & n. all.
am present tense of be.
an det. one.
ar n. letter r.
as adv. & conj. similarly.
at prep. having as position etc.
†au n. awe.
aw n. water-wheel board.
ax n. & v. axe.
ay int. ah.
ba n. (Egyptian myth) soul.
be v. exist.
bi n. & adj. (sl.) bisexual (person).
bo n. a kind of fig tree.
bu n. former Japanese coin.
by prep. & adv. beside.
ca n. (pl. caas or cais) (Sc.) calf.
ce n. letter c.
†co n. jackdaw.
†cu n. cow.
†cy n.pl. cows.
da n. Indian fibre plant.
de prep. of; from.
di n. note in music-scale.
do v. perform.—n. performance.
*du v. (Sc.) do.
*dw v. (Sc.) do.
*dy n. (pl. dyce or dys) gaming die.
ea n. (dial.) river; stream.
*eb n. ebb.
†ec adv. also, too.
*ed adj. distinguished.
ee n. (pl. een) (Sc.) eye.
ef n. letter f.
*eg n. egg.
eh int. & v. expressing surprise.
†ei det. & pron. any.
*ek adv. & v. eke.
el n. letter l.
em n. unit of print measure.
en n. half an em.
†eo pron. you.
er int. & v. expressing hesitation.
es n. (pl. esses) letter s.
†et prep. at.
†eu n. yew.
ew v. (dial.) owe.
ex n. (pl. exes) former spouse etc.
ey n. (dial.) water.
fa n. note in music-scale.
fe n. (old use) note in music-scale.
fo n. (dial.) area measure.
fu n. (pl. same) Chinese district.
fy int. fie.
ga n. (old use) note in music-scale.
ge n. (old use) note in music-scale.
go v. move.—n. (pl. goes) energy; turn.
gu v. (dial.) go.
gy n. (Sc.) guide rope.*—v.tr. guide.
ha int. & v. expressing surprise.
he pron. male mentioned.
hi int. attracting attention.
hm int. expressing doubt.
ho int. & v. expressing surprise.
hu n. Chinese liquid measure.
†hv adv. how.
†hw n. yew.
hy v. (Sc.) hie.
*ia n. (Sc.) jay.
†ic pron. I.
id n. mind’s impulses.
ie n. Pacific islands tree.
if conj. & n. (on) condition (that).
†ig pron. I.
†ih pron. I.
†ik pron. I.
†il n. hedgehog.
†im pron. him.
in prep. & adv. within.—n. passage in.
io n. Hawaiian hawk.
*ir n. ire.
is present tense of be.
it pron. thing mentioned.
iv prep. (dial.) in; of.
†iw n. yew.
ja v. & n. (dial.) jaw, talk.
*je adv. yea.
jo n. (pl. joes) (Sc.) darling.
ka n. (Egyptian myth) spirit.
*ke n. (Sc.) jackdaw.
ki n. liliaceous plant.
ko n. (pl. same) Chinese liquid measure.
ku n. (dial.) ulcer in the eye.
ky n.pl. (Sc.) cows.
la n. note in music-scale.
le n. = li.
li n. (pl. same) Chinese unit.
lo int. expressing surprise.
lu v. (Orkney) listen.
ly n. = li.
ma n. (colloq.) mother.
me pron. objective case of I.
mi n. note in music-scale.
mo n. (colloq.) moment.
mu n. Greek letter m.
my poss.det. belonging to me.
na adv. (Sc.) no.
ne adv. & conj. (old use) not.
*ni n. = ny.
no det. not any.
nu n. Greek letter n.
†nv adv. & conj. now.
†nw adv. & conj. now.
*ny n. brood of pheasants.
*ob n. wizard.
†oc conj. but.
od n. hypnotic force.
oe n. small island.
of prep. belonging to.
oh int., n., & v. (give) cry of pain.
oi int. attracting attention.
†ok n. oak.
ol n. hydroxyl atom group.
om n. mantra syllable.
on prep. & adv. supported by; covering—n. one side of a cricket field.
oo n. (Sc.) wool.
op n. (colloq.) operation.
or conj. as an alternative.
os1 n. (pl. ora) orifice.
os2 n. (pl. same or osars) geological ridge.
os3 n. (pl. ossa) bone.
ot n. (dial.) urchin.
ou int. (Sc.) oh.
†ov pron. you.
ow int. expressing pain.
ox n. (pl. oxen) a kind of animal.
oy n. (Sc.) grandchild.
pa n. (colloq.) father.
pe n. Hebrew letter p.
pi n. Greek letter p.
po n. (pl. pos) (colloq.) chamber pot.
pu n. (pl. same) Chinese measure of distance.
*py n. pie.
qi n. (Chinese philosophy) life-force.
*qu n. half-farthing.
ra n. Arabic letter r.
re n. note in music-scale.
ri n. (pl. same) Japanese measure of distance.
*ro n. & v. (Sc.) repose.
†ru v. rue.
*ry n. rye.
sa adv. & conj. (dial.) so.
se n. Japanese measure of area.
sh int. command to silence.
si n. note in music-scale.
so1 adv. & conj. therefore.
so2 n. note in music-scale.
st int. attracting attention.
su pron. (dial.) she.
sy n. (dial.) scythe.
ta n. Arabic letter t.
te n. ti.
ti n. note in music-scale.
to prep. & adv. towards.
tu n. 250 li.
*ty n. & v. tie.
†ua n. woe.
ug v. & n. (dial.) dread.
uh int. inarticulate sound.
um int. hesitation in speech.
un pron. (dial.) one; him.
†uo n. foe.
up adv. & prep. towards.—v. raise.—n. upward direction.
us pron. objective case of we.
ut n. music note C.
†uu n. yew.
†uv n. yew.
uz pron. (dial.) us.
va n. (Sc.) woe.
vg v. = ug.
vi n. Polynesian fruit.
vo n. size of book.
*vp adv. up.
*vs pron. us.
*vy v. vie.
wa n. Siamese measure.
we pron. self and others.
*wg v. (Sc.) = ug.
†wi n. battle; conflict.
wo int. recalling a hawk.
*wp adv. (Sc.) up.
†wr poss.det. our.
*ws pron. (Sc.) us.
†wu adv. how.
wy n. (Sc.) heifer.
*xa n. shah.
xi n. Greek letter x.
xu n. (pl. same) Vietnamese coin.
ya n. Arabic letter y.
†yd pron. it.
ye pron. (old use) you.
*yf conj. if.
yi adv. (dial.) yes.
†yk pron. I.
*yl n. isle.
†yn n. inn.
yo int. expressing effort.
*yr n. ire.
*ys poss.det. & poss.pron. his.
*yt pron. it.
yu n. Chinese wine vessel.
†yw pron. you.
za n. Arabic letter z.
†ze det. the.
zi adv. & conj. (dial.) so.
zo n. (pl. zos) hybrid yak.
†zy det. the.



Words with a q not followed by u

The spelling qw was a frequent variant of qu and wh in Middle English (c. 1150–1500), especially in Scotland and northern England. In the words listed below, most of such forms are attested in the Oxford English Dictionary; several hundred others are to be found in the Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue but are excluded from the list through lack of space.

cinq n. number 5 on a die.
eqwal n. (dial.) green woodpecker.
faqih n. (pl. faqihs or fuqaha) fakir.
faqir n. fakir.
fiqh n. Islamic jurisprudence.
*liqor n. liquor.
miqra n. Hebrew biblical text.
qabab n. kebab.
qadhi n. = qadi.
qadi n. Muslim civil judge.
qaf n. letter of the Arabic alphabet.
qaid n. = qadi.
qanat n. irigation tunnel.
qaneh n. ancient Hebrew measure (= 6 ells).
qanon n. dulcimer-like instrument.
qantar n. Middle Eastern unit of weight.
qasab n. (pl. same) ancient Mesopotamian measure of length.
qasaba n. (pl. same) ancient Arabian measure of area.
qasida n. Arabic or Persian poem.
qat n. Ethiopian bush.
qazi n. = qadi.
qere n. marginal word in Hebrew Bible.
qeri n. = qere.
qhat det. & pron. what.
†qheche det. & pron. which.
†qhete n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qhom pron. whom.
†qhwom pron. whom.
qi n. (Chinese philosophy) life-force.
qibla n. direction towards Mecca.
qiblah n. = qibla.
qibli n. sirocco.
qindar n. (pl. qindarka) Albanian coin.
qintar n. Albanian coin.
*qirk n. quirk.
qirsh n. (pl. qurush) Saudi Arabian coin.
qiviut n. belly-wool of the musk ox.
qiyas n. Islamic judgement.
qoph n. Hebrew letter q.
qre n. = qere.
*qvair n. quire.
*qvan adv. & conj. when.
*qvare n. quire.
†qvarte n. quart.
†qvayr n. quire.
†qveise v. quease (= squeeze).
†qvele n. wheel.
†qvene n. queen
†qverel n. quarrel.
†qveyse v. quease (= squeeze).
†qvyk n. quicken.
†qvylte n. quilt.
†qwa pron. who.
†qwaint adj. quaint.
*qwaire n. quire.
†qwal n. (Sc.) whale.
†qwalke n. whelk, pimple.
†qwalle n. (Sc.) whale.
†qwappe v. quap (= quiver).
†qwar adv. & conj. (dial.) where.
†qware adv. & conj. (dial.) where.
†qwarte adj. & n. = qwert.
†qwarto adv. whereto.
†qwartt adj. & n. = qwert.
†qwasse n. quash.
qwat v. (dial.) squash flat.
†qwate n. divination.
†qwatte v. (dial.) = qwat.
*qway n. whey.
†qwaylle n. (Sc.) whale.
†qwayer n. quire.
†qwaynt adj. quaint.
†qwe n. (pl. qwes) (Sc.) musical instrument (pipe).
†qwech det. & pron. which.
†qweche det. & pron. which.
†qwed adj. & n. evil.
†qwede n. will or bequest.
†qwedyr n. (dial.) quiver.
†qweed adj. & n. evil.
†qweer n. choir.
†qwel det. & pron. which.
*qwele n. (dial.) wheel.
†qwelke n. whelk.
†qwell n. (dial.) wheel.
†qwelp n. (Sc.) whelp.
†qwelpe n. (Sc.) whelp.
†qwem v. please.
†qweme v. please.
†qwen n. queen.
†qwench v. quench.
†qwene n. queen.
†qwenne adv. & conj. when.
†qwens adv. & conj. whence.
*qwent adj. quenched.
†qwer n. choir.
†qwere n. choir.
†qwerf n. wharf.
qwerk n. (dial.) twist; bend.
†qwerle n. whirl.
*qwern n. quern.
†qwerne n. piece of ice.
†qwert n. health.—adj. healthy.
†qwerte n. & adj. = qwert.
qwerty n. standard layout of typewriter keyboard.
†qweryn n. piece of ice.
*qwest n. quest.
†qwesye adj. queasy.
†qwet n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qwete n. (Sc.) wheat.
*qwey n. whey.
†qweyll n. (dial.) wheel.
†qweynt adj. quaint.
*qwha pron. (Sc.) who.
†qwhar adv. & conj. where.
†qwhare adv. & conj. where.
†qwheet n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qwheit n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qwhele n. (dial.) wheel.
†qwhen adv. & conj. when.
†qwhene n. queen.
†qwher adv. & conj. where.
†qwhete n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qwheyn adv. & conj. (Sc.) when.
*qwhil n. (Sc.) while.
†qwhile n. (Sc.) while.
†qwhill n. (Sc.) while.
†qwhit adj. (Sc.) white.
†qwhite adj. (Sc.) white.
†qwhois det. & pron. (Sc.) which.
†qwhom pron. whom.
†qwhome pron. whom.
†qwhos det. & pron. (Sc.) whose.
†qwhy adv. (Sc.) why.
†qwhyet adj. (Sc.) white.
*qwhyl n. (Sc.) while.
†qwhyt adj. white.
†qwhyte adj. (Sc.) white.
†qwi adv. why.
†qwiche det. & pron. which.
†qwike adj. quick.
†qwikk adj. quick.
†qwil n. quill.
†qwile n. (Sc.) while.
†qwilk det. & pron. which.
†qwill n. (Sc.) while.
†qwince n. quince.
qwine n. (dial.) money; corner.
qwirk n. (dial.) twist, bend.
†qwitte v. quit.
†qwo pron. who
†qwom pron. whom.
†qwome pron. whom.
†qwon adv. & conj. (Sc.) when.
qwop v. (dial.) throb with pain.
†qworle n. whorl.
†qwose det. & pron. (Sc.) whose.
qwot v. (dial.) = qwat.
†qwy n. (Sc.) heifer.
†qwyce n. gorse.
†qwych det. & pron. (Sc.) which.
†qwyche det. & pron. (Sc.) which.
†qwye n. (Sc.) heifer.
†qwyet n. (Sc.) wheat.
†qwyght adj. white.
*qwyk adj. quick.
†qwyken v. quicken.
†qwykyr n. wicker.
†qwykyn v. quicken.
*qwyl n. (dial.) wheel.
†qwyle n. (Sc.) while.
†qwylte n. quilt.
†qwylum adv. (Sc.) = whilom (= while).
†qwylys adv. & n. (Sc.) whiles (= while).
†qwynce n. quince.
†qwyne adv. (dial.) whence.
†qwynne n. whin.
†qwynse n. quinsy.
†qwype n. (Sc.) whip.
*qwyt adj. white.
*qwyte adj. white.
†qwyuer n. quiver.
*qwyver n. quiver.
†qwytt v. quit.
shoq n. Indian tree.
suq n. Arab market place.
tariqa n. Muslim ascetics’ spiritual development.
tariqah n. = tariqa.



Words beginning with x

*xa n. shah.
†xal v. shall.
†xall v. shall.
†xalle v. shall.
*xaraf n. oriental money changer.
*xaroff n. = xaraf.
xebec n. sailing boat.
xebeck n. = xebec.
†xel v. shall.
xeme n. fork-tailed gull.
xenia n. (pl. xenias) foreign pollen effect.
xenial adj. of hospitality.
xenium n. (pl. xenia) gift to a guest.
xenon n. heavy inert gas.
xeque n. sheikh.
xeric adj. having little moisture.
xeriff n. Muslim title.
xeroma n. abnormal bodily dryness.
xerox v. photocopy.
xi n. Greek letter x.
*xiph n. swordfish.
*xisti pl. of xystus.
xoanon n. (pl. xoana) carved image.
†xowyn v. shove.
xu n. (pl. same) Vietnamese coin.
†xul v. shall.
†xuld v. shall.
†xulde v. shall.
†xwld v. shall.
xylan n. carbohydrate in plants.
xylary adj. of xylem.
xylate n. salt of xylic acid.
xylem n. plant tissue.
xylene n. hydrocarbon from wood spirit.
xylic adj. of a kind of acid.
xylo n. (colloq.) Xylonite (a kind of celluloid).
xylol n. xylene.
xylose n. substance obtained from xylan.
xylyl n. derivative of xylene.
xyrid n. sedge-like herb.
xyst n. xystus.
xysta pl. of xystum.
xyster n. surgeon’s intrument.
xysti pl. of xystus.
xyston n. ancient Greek spear.
xystos n. xystus.
xystum n. (pl. xysta) xystus.
xystus n. (pl. xysti) covered portico.

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