Words Containing LAI
100 wordsThe LAI pattern appears in words that often carry motion or expression—claiming, exclaiming, explaining. These words connect us to ideas about making things plain, laying things down, or speaking out loud.
4-letter words
35-letter words
106-letter words
97-letter words
138-letter words
99-letter words
2010-letter words
1711-letter words
912-letter words
713-letter words
215-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
LAI words bridge everyday vocabulary with some surprisingly powerful game-winning options.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The LAI pattern frequently appears in words built on the Latin root 'clam-' meaning to cry out or shout—giving us CLAIM, EXCLAIM, and DECLAIM. It also shows up in words from 'plain-' meaning flat or clear, which evolved into EXPLAIN and COMPLAIN. This connection between 'making flat' and 'making clear' reflects how English speakers linked physical and mental concepts.
Total Words
179
0.1% of dictionary
Avg Length
8.9 letters
2.7 syllables
Top Scrabble
PORCELAINIZING
28 points
Longest Word
COUNTERCLAIMANT
15 letters
Parts of Speech
With 57% nouns and 28% adjectives, LAI words lean heavily toward naming things and describing states. The average length of 8.9 letters suggests this pattern thrives in complex, multi-syllabic vocabulary rather than quick, simple terms.
Middle English dominates this pattern's origins, with French and Latin contributing significantly. The CHAPLAIN chain tells a fascinating story: from Late Latin 'cappellānus' (keeper of the cloak, referring to St. Martin's sacred cape) through Old French into English. These layered borrowings show how religious and cultural terms traveled through French before settling into English vocabulary.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy
set down according to a plan
Long (8+)
coat with porcelain or a porcelain-like surface
without complaining
Short (2-4)
characteristic of those who are not members of the clergy
set down according to a plan
Long (8+)
without complaining
not to be accounted for or explained
PORCELAINIZING tops both games but scores dramatically higher in WWF at 34 points versus 28 in Scrabble. EXCLAIM shows a notable gap too—21 points in WWF compared to 18 in Scrabble—making it especially valuable in Words With Friends. Focus on the -CLAIM family when you have high-value tiles; words like UNCOMPLAININGLY (25 in Scrabble, 34 in WWF) reward you for holding onto that Y.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
No two or three-letter LAI words exist, and the pattern averages nearly 9 letters. This happens because LAI rarely stands alone—it needs prefixes like UN- or EX- and suffixes like -ING or -LY to form complete words.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
a claim filed in opposition to another claim in a legal action
recite in elocution
"he declaimed against the wasteful ways of modern society"
capable of being understood
"explainable phenomena"
large European food fish
PLAICE names a large European flatfish prized at dinner tables across the Atlantic. Beyond its culinary appeal, it's a compact 6-letter word that uses common tiles efficiently. Knowing obscure but valid food terms often catches opponents off guard in word games.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.