Words Ending With ERY
100 wordsThe -ERY suffix transforms English into a language of places, practices, and collections. From bakeries to bravery, these words name where things happen, what people do, and the qualities that define them. This pattern reveals how English builds abstract nouns from concrete roots.
4-letter words
15-letter words
56-letter words
137-letter words
388-letter words
239-letter words
910-letter words
811-letter words
112-letter words
113-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The -ERY ending offers surprising versatility for word game players, combining common letters with substantial scoring potential.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The -ERY suffix serves three distinct functions in English. It creates place names (bakery, brewery), describes practices or trades (archery, joinery), and forms abstract nouns from adjectives (bravery, trickery). This triple duty makes it one of English's most productive suffixes. Many -ERY words also carry a slightly formal or literary tone, which explains why we say 'tomfoolery' instead of 'being foolish.'
Total Words
361
0.1% of dictionary
Avg Length
8.1 letters
3.4 syllables
Top Scrabble
QUICKSILVERY
33 points
Longest Word
ELECTROCAUTERY
14 letters
Parts of Speech
With 79% nouns and 21% adjectives, this pattern strongly favors naming things over describing them. The average length of 8.1 letters reflects how -ERY typically attaches to multi-syllable roots, building substantial words from already meaningful bases.
Middle English dominates this pattern's origins, often borrowing from French and Old French sources. The etymology of BATTERY traces through Middle French 'batterie' to Latin 'battuō,' while VENERY follows a path from Old French back to Proto-Indo-European. This French-heavy lineage explains why -ERY words often feel slightly elevated—they entered English through Norman aristocratic and ecclesiastical channels.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
corruptness among public officials
Long (8+)
brain surgery on human patients intended to relieve severe and otherwise intractable mental or behavioral problems
Short (2-4)
Medium (5-7)
corruptness among public officials
Long (8+)
ornamental objects of no great value
QUICKSILVERY dominates both games, scoring 33 points in Scrabble and 36 in WWF. The Q-heavy options like QUAVERY and QUIVERY perform slightly better in WWF, where Q scores 10 versus Scrabble's 10—the real difference comes from WWF's 23-point total versus Scrabble's 22. JOBBERY shows a more dramatic split: 24 points in WWF versus 21 in Scrabble, thanks to WWF's higher J value. For exclusive plays, NINCOMPOOPERY and CARPETBAGGERY appear only in WWF's word list.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
the act of mimicking; imitative behavior
Common Words (likely answers)
FAERY makes an excellent starter, testing two vowels (A, E) plus the common consonants F, R, and Y. APERY offers similar vowel coverage with a different consonant set, useful for eliminating or confirming letter positions early.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
No -ERY words exist below four letters because the suffix itself requires three. The longest words like ELECTROCAUTERY reach 14 letters, showing how English stacks prefixes onto already-suffixed roots to build technical vocabulary.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
an instrument or substance used to destroy tissue for medical reasons (eg removal of a wart) by burning it with a hot iron or an electric current or a caustic or by freezing it
a greengrocer's grocery store
the craft of a joiner
surgery using operating microscopes and miniaturized precision instruments to perform intricate procedures on very small structures
CAUTERY names an instrument or substance used to destroy tissue medically—by burning with heat, electricity, caustic chemicals, or freezing. It's the kind of word that sounds made-up but appears in standard dictionaries. Worth remembering for its unusual letter combination and the satisfying moment when opponents challenge it.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.