Words Containing LA
100 wordsThe letter combination LA appears throughout English in words borrowed from Romance languages, Germanic roots, and scientific terminology alike. From everyday terms like LAZY and FLAX to tongue-twisting biochemical processes, this pattern offers something for every word lover.
2-letter words
13-letter words
44-letter words
195-letter words
236-letter words
147-letter words
178-letter words
99-letter words
510-letter words
211-letter words
212-letter words
315-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
Words containing LA span the entire spectrum of English vocabulary, from simple Anglo-Saxon terms to complex scientific nomenclature borrowed from Greek and Latin.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
LA frequently appears in words describing places and structures, reflecting its Latin heritage through terms like PALAZZO and PALAZZI. The combination also shows up in scientific vocabulary, where Greek roots dominate—PHYLAXIS (protection) and PHOSPHORYLATION (adding phosphate groups) recur in medical and biochemical terminology. English speakers encounter LA most often in everyday words descended from Old English, where it appears in core vocabulary like LAMB and BLADE.
Total Words
7,139
2.4% of dictionary
Avg Length
9.5 letters
3.5 syllables
Top Scrabble
CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS
40 points
Longest Word
PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION
20 letters
Parts of Speech
With 66% nouns dominating this pattern, LA-containing words lean heavily toward naming things rather than describing actions or qualities. The average length of 9.5 letters reflects the influence of technical and scientific terminology, pulling the average well above typical English words.
Middle English and Latin contribute most heavily to LA words, with French dialects adding another substantial layer. The etymology chain for CILANTRO illustrates how words traveled through Spanish from Latin, ultimately reaching back to Ancient Greek—a reminder that culinary terms often carry centuries of Mediterranean trade history. GLAZE traces a purely Germanic path from Old English through Proto-West Germanic, showing that not all LA words came through Romance languages.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
disinclined to work or exertion
fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric
be idle; exist in a changeless situation
Medium (5-7)
Long (8+)
Short (2-4)
disinclined to work or exertion
fiber of the flax plant that is made into thread and woven into linen fabric
be idle; exist in a changeless situation
Medium (5-7)
shining intensely
Long (8+)
an adrenergic drug used in many preparations to relieve allergic reactions or respiratory infections
PALAZZO and PALAZZI score identically in Scrabble at 27 points, but WWF awards 29 points for each—a modest boost from WWF's different letter valuations. The real strategic difference emerges with Z-heavy words: since Z scores 10 in both games, the surrounding letters determine which game rewards you more. LAZY performs equally at 16 points in both games, making it a reliable mid-game play regardless of platform. Look for opportunities to play BLAZING in WWF where its 23-point value can swing close matches.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
LATER and LARGE make excellent Wordle openers, each testing common consonants L, R, and T while covering two vowels. PLATE offers similar coverage with the addition of P, useful for eliminating or confirming frequent consonant combinations.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
The shortest LA words—LA itself, ALA, LAB—are pure utility players, easy to fit in tight spots. The longest, PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION at 20 letters, exists because scientific English builds compound terms from Greek roots without much concern for brevity.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
able to walk about
pale medium-dry sherry from Spain
at an oblique angle
"the sun shone aslant into his face"
AMBULANT means able to walk about, typically used in medical contexts to describe patients who aren't bedridden. It comes from the same Latin root as ambulance and ambulate, making it surprisingly easy to remember once you see the connection. Worth keeping in your mental word bank for those moments when you need to clear difficult letter combinations.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.