Words Containing O
100 wordsThe letter O appears in more words than any other vowel in this dictionary. From two-letter basics like GO and DO to medical terms stretching twenty letters long, O connects Anglo-Saxon roots to Latin borrowings to modern scientific vocabulary.
2-letter words
103-letter words
224-letter words
275-letter words
186-letter words
97-letter words
108-letter words
39-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
O gives word game players remarkable flexibility, functioning as both a common linking vowel and a high-value target in specific combinations.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
O often serves as a connecting vowel in compound words, especially those built from Greek and Latin roots. Medical and scientific terminology loves O as a combining form—think cardio-, neuro-, and bio-. This pattern also dominates in words ending with the diminutive -ito or the agent suffix -or, giving us everything from mosquito to conductor.
Total Words
53,016
17.7% of dictionary
Avg Length
9.6 letters
3.5 syllables
Top Scrabble
HYPOPHYSECTOMIZING
48 points
Longest Word
ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC
20 letters
Parts of Speech
With 67% nouns and 25% adjectives, O-containing words skew heavily toward naming things rather than describing actions. The average length of 9.6 letters reflects the prevalence of compound terms and Latinate vocabulary that use O as their structural glue.
Middle English and Latin together dominate the origins of O-words, reflecting how English absorbed vocabulary during the Norman period and Renaissance. The etymology of ANCHOVY traces a Mediterranean journey from Vulgar Latin through Ligurian to Spanish before reaching English. ANHEDONIA shows the Greek scientific tradition, building from the prefix ἀν- (without) to describe the inability to feel pleasure.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
having or fostering a warm or friendly and informal atmosphere
the 19th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
Medium (5-7)
a cabinet containing an automatic record player; records are played by inserting a coin
a collective farm owned by the communist state
Long (8+)
having the pituitary gland removed by surgery
remove the pituitary glands
a diuretic drug (trade name Microzide, Esidrix, and HydroDIURIL) used in the treatment of hypertension
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
a cabinet containing an automatic record player; records are played by inserting a coin
widely cultivated ornamental plant native to southern Europe but naturalized elsewhere having fragrant yellow or white clustered flowers
Long (8+)
having the pituitary gland removed by surgery
inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva
JUKEBOX demonstrates the scoring gap between games—27 points in Scrabble but 31 in Words With Friends, where J carries more weight. Both games reward HYPOPHYSECTOMIZING at the top, but WWF's different letter values make OVERCOMMERCIALIZING a uniquely strong play there. For shorter plays, JOCK scores 20 in WWF compared to lesser options, making it a reliable four-letter powerhouse.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
Start with OTHER or THOSE to test both O placement and common consonants like T, H, and R. STORY and WORSE offer alternative consonant coverage while keeping O in different positions.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
Shortest
The shortest O-words (BO, DO, GO, HO) are among English's most ancient, while twenty-letter terms like ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIC emerged from modern medicine's need for precise compound descriptions.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
failing to accomplish an intended result
"an abortive revolt"
the principle of complete and unrestricted power in government
the act of giving special importance or significance to something
clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing
ACCOUTREMENT means clothing or equipment that's worn or carried but isn't part of your main outfit—think belts, pouches, or ceremonial accessories. This French-derived word appears in both military and fashion contexts, and its unusual spelling makes it a memorable find for word game players who recognize its validity.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.