Words Starting With HE

100 words

Words beginning with HE span from the humble pronoun to scientific mouthfuls. This collection includes everyday terms alongside specialized vocabulary from medicine, music, and chemistry—offering options for casual conversation and competitive word games alike.

2-letter words

1

3-letter words

4

4-letter words

19

5-letter words

12
View all 12

6-letter words

20
View all 20

7-letter words

16

8-letter words

8
View all 8

9-letter words

8

10-letter words

8

11-letter words

2

12-letter words

2

Pattern Guide

Insights and recommendations for these words.

The HE pattern rewards players who balance common vocabulary with technical terminology. Here's how to make these words work across different games.

Vocabulary & Language

Linguistic patterns and usage statistics

The HE- opening appears in several productive word families. Greek-derived prefixes like helio- (sun), hemi- (half), and hexa- (six) generate scientific and mathematical terms. Germanic roots give us simpler, everyday words—help, hear, heart—that form the backbone of English conversation.

Total Words

1,105

0.4% of dictionary

Avg Length

9.2 letters

3.3 syllables

Top Scrabble

HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER

40 points

Longest Word

HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER

18 letters

Parts of Speech

Nouns
71%
Verbs
3%
Adjectives
20%
Adverbs
5%
Other
0%

With 71% nouns dominating this pattern, HE- words name things far more than they describe or act. The average length of 9.2 letters—well above the dictionary norm—reflects the scientific terminology that inflates this category.

Middle English and Old English together form the foundation here, supplying the common words we use daily. Ancient Greek contributes heavily through scientific vocabulary—words built from prefixes like hexa- and hemi-. The journey of HERB illustrates typical French-Latin inheritance: from Latin's herba through Old French into Middle English.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Short (2-4)

13 pts
HEX

an evil spell

13 pts
HEMP

any plant of the genus Cannabis; a coarse bushy annual with palmate leaves and clusters of small green flowers; yields tough fibers and narcotic drugs

11 pts

Medium (5-7)

HEXYLIC
22 pts
HEEZING
20 pts
HEXADIC
20 pts

Long (8+)

HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER

a musical note having the time value of a sixty-fourth of a whole note

40 pts
HEXACHLOROPHENE

antibacterial substance that is a water-soluble powder used in antiseptic soaps and toothpaste

35 pts
HEXACHLOROETHANE
34 pts
HEPATECTOMIZED
33 pts

Both Scrabble and WWF value HECK at 13 points, making it a reliable short-word play. HEMP scores slightly better in Scrabble (11) than WWF (12 points). For maximum impact, target the monster words: HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER earns 40 points in Scrabble but jumps to 44 in WWF. HEXACHLOROPHENE follows a similar pattern, scoring 35 in Scrabble versus 36 in WWF—those small differences add up across a game.

Wordle

5-letter words for daily puzzles

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

HEARDStarter

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

HEARTStarter

the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body

HEADSStarter
HEISTStarter

commit a burglary; enter and rob a dwelling

Common Words (likely answers)

HELLOCommon

an expression of greeting

HEARDCommon

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

HEARTCommon

the hollow muscular organ located behind the sternum and between the lungs; its rhythmic contractions move the blood through the body

HEAVYCommon

slowly as if burdened by much weight

HEART and HEARD both test common vowels E and A while checking frequent consonants. HEIST offers a different approach, probing the useful I while keeping E in play.

Length Extremes

Longest and shortest valid words

Longest

HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER18 letters
HETEROGENEOUSNESS17 letters
HEAVYHEARTEDNESS16 letters
HEMAGGLUTINATING16 letters

Shortest

HE2 letters
HEH3 letters
HEM3 letters
HEN3 letters

Simple Germanic roots give us short, punchy words like HEM and HEN. Greek scientific prefixes stretch words dramatically—HEMIDEMISEMIQUAVER needs 18 letters to name a sixty-fourth note.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

HEADSHAKE

the act of turning your head left and right to signify denial or disbelief or bemusement

"I could tell from their headshakes that they didn't believe me"

HEADSTAND

an acrobatic feat in which a person balances on the head (usually with the help of the hands)

HELIOCENTRIC

having the sun as the center

HELPMATE

a helpful partner

HELIOCENTRIC means having the sun as the center. Beyond its astronomical significance, it's a valid Scrabble word that combines common letters with impressive length. The Greek roots helio- (sun) and -centric (center) make it memorable and defensible when challenged.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.

More "HE" Pages

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