Words Containing C

100 words

The letter C is a chameleon in English, producing both hard sounds (CAT, COLD) and soft sounds (CITY, CENT). This collection spans everyday vocabulary and specialized terminology, making it one of the most versatile consonants for word game players and language enthusiasts alike.

3-letter words

6

4-letter words

23

5-letter words

26
View all 26

6-letter words

20

7-letter words

19

8-letter words

4

9-letter words

1

10-letter words

1

Pattern Guide

Insights and recommendations for these words.

C's dual personality—hard before A, O, U and soft before E, I, Y—creates interesting strategic opportunities across word games.

Vocabulary & Language

Linguistic patterns and usage statistics

C frequently teams up with H to form the CH digraph, one of English's most productive sound combinations. The prefix CON- (meaning 'with' or 'together') generates hundreds of words from CONNECT to CONTEXT. Watch for the -TION ending, where C takes on an SH sound, creating thousands of nouns from verbs.

Total Words

38,426

12.8% of dictionary

Avg Length

9.9 letters

3.5 syllables

Top Scrabble

HYPOPHYSECTOMIZING

48 points

Longest Word

ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC

20 letters

Parts of Speech

Nouns
64%
Verbs
6%
Adjectives
26%
Adverbs
4%

At 60% nouns, C-words skew heavily toward naming things rather than actions or descriptions. The average length of 9.9 letters reflects the abundance of technical and medical terminology, particularly compound words built from Greek and Latin roots.

Latin dominates the etymology of C-words, followed closely by Middle English and French. The word CHAMBER traces a fascinating path from Proto-Iranian through Ancient Greek, Latin, and Old French before arriving in Middle English. This layered borrowing pattern shows how words traveled along trade routes and through conquests before settling into English.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Short (2-4)

ZACK
19 pts
18 pts
COZY

having or fostering a warm or friendly and informal atmosphere

18 pts

Medium (5-7)

CAZIQUE

black-and-red or black-and-yellow orioles of the American tropics

27 pts
SKYJACK

subject an aircraft to air piracy

27 pts
QUICKLY

without taking pains

25 pts

Long (8+)

HYPOPHYSECTOMIZING
48 pts
HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED

having the pituitary gland removed by surgery

47 pts
HYPOPHYSECTOMIZE

remove the pituitary glands

45 pts
HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE

a diuretic drug (trade name Microzide, Esidrix, and HydroDIURIL) used in the treatment of hypertension

44 pts

CAZIQUE scores 27 points in Scrabble but jumps to 29 in Words With Friends, making it even more valuable in WWF. For short plays, JACK and JOCK both hit 20 points in WWF compared to their standard Scrabble values. The medical behemoths like HYPOPHYSECTOMIZING reward players who can navigate seven-letter bonus opportunities, scoring 48 in Scrabble and 50 in WWF.

Wordle

5-letter words for daily puzzles

Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)

CAUSEStarter

any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results

CLEARStarter

become clear

TEACHStarter

impart skills or knowledge to

SPACEStarter

(printing) a block of type without a raised letter; used for spacing between words or sentences

Common Words (likely answers)

COULDCommon
PLACECommon

a job in an organization

WHICHCommon
SINCECommon

From a definite past time until now.

CLEAR and CAUSE both test the common CA- opening while checking different vowels. SPACE offers strong consonant coverage with S and P, two of Wordle's most frequent letters.

Length Extremes

Longest and shortest valid words

Longest

ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC20 letters
ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN20 letters
BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE20 letters
COMPARTMENTALIZATION20 letters

Shortest

ACE3 letters
ACT3 letters
ARC3 letters
CAB3 letters

Short C-words like ACE and ARC pack punch in tight board positions. The longest entries tend to be medical terms—ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC stretches to 20 letters—built by stacking Greek and Latin combining forms.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

ABSCESSED

infected and filled with pus

"an abscessed tooth"

ACADEME

the academic world

ACCENTUATION

the act of giving special importance or significance to something

ACCOUTREMENT

clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing

ACCOUTREMENT refers to accessories or equipment worn but not considered main clothing—think a soldier's belt and pouches or a chef's apron. This French-derived word scores well with its double C and offers a sophisticated alternative to 'accessories' in everyday writing.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.

More "C" Pages

Browse words by longer letter combinations starting with "C".