Words Starting With LIN

100 words

Words beginning with LIN connect threads of meaning across English—from the literal fibers of linen to the abstract lines of language itself. This collection spans everyday terms like LINK alongside specialized vocabulary from printing, medicine, and linguistics.

3-letter words

1

4-letter words

7

5-letter words

12
View all 12

6-letter words

15

7-letter words

16

8-letter words

21

9-letter words

11

10-letter words

7

11-letter words

6

13-letter words

2

14-letter words

2

Pattern Guide

Insights and recommendations for these words.

The LIN pattern offers some delightful surprises for word game players, with scoring opportunities that shift dramatically between Scrabble and Words With Friends.

Vocabulary & Language

Linguistic patterns and usage statistics

The LIN prefix traces back to two distinct roots that merged in English. One comes from flax (the linen plant), giving us words about threads and fabric. The other relates to lines and lineage, producing terms about arrangement, descent, and language itself—hence LINGUA and LINGUISTICS sharing space with LINEN and LINOTYPE.

Total Words

128

0.0% of dictionary

Avg Length

7.5 letters

2.7 syllables

Top Scrabble

LINEARIZATION

22 points

Longest Word

LINGUISTICALLY

14 letters

Parts of Speech

Nouns
81%
Verbs
4%
Adjectives
11%
Adverbs
4%

This pattern skews heavily toward nouns at 81%, reflecting how LIN words often name concrete things—plants, machines, body parts, or connections. The average length of 7.5 letters suggests these words tend toward the technical and specific rather than everyday vocabulary.

Middle English and Old English dominate this pattern, reflecting its roots in fundamental concepts like flax cultivation and physical connections. The etymology of LINKS reveals a fascinating journey from Proto-West Germanic through Old English, originally referring to ridges or rising ground before evolving to mean connections. Latin's smaller but notable presence appears in learned words related to language and lines.

Word Games

High-value words for board games

Short (2-4)

LINK

a two-way radio communication system (usually microwave); part of a more extensive telecommunication network

8 pts
LINY
7 pts
LIND

Swedish soprano who toured the United States under the management of P. T. Barnum (1820-1887)

5 pts

Medium (5-7)

LINKBOY

(formerly) an attendant hired to carry a torch for pedestrians in dark streets

16 pts
LINKMAN

(formerly) an attendant hired to carry a torch for pedestrians in dark streets

13 pts
LINHAY
12 pts

Long (8+)

LINEARIZATION
22 pts
LINEARIZING
21 pts
LINEARIZED
20 pts
LINGUISTICALLY

with respect to language

20 pts

LINK scores 8 points in Scrabble but jumps to 10 in Words With Friends, making it more valuable in the latter game. The real prizes here are the longer formations: LINGUISTICALLY nets 20 points in Scrabble versus 26 in WWF. LINKBOY and LINKMAN both score higher in WWF (18 and 17 versus 16 and 13), so prioritize these historical terms when playing on mobile.

Wordle

5-letter words for daily puzzles

Common Words (likely answers)

LINESCommon
LINEDCommon

(used especially of skin) marked by lines or seams

LINKSCommon

a golf course that is built on sandy ground near a shore

LINENCommon

a high-quality paper made of linen fibers or with a linen finish

Length Extremes

Longest and shortest valid words

Longest

LINGUISTICALLY14 letters
LINEARIZATION13 letters
LINGUISTICIAN13 letters
LINEBREEDING12 letters

Shortest

LIN3 letters

The jump from the simple LIN (3 letters) to LINGUISTICALLY (14 letters) shows how Latin suffixes like -ISTIC and -ALLY can transform compact roots into elaborate descriptors. Most LIN words cluster in the 6-8 letter range where prefixes and suffixes find natural balance.

Hidden Gems

Rare but valid words to surprise opponents

LINEARLY

in a linear manner

"linearly polarized radiation"

LINGUA

a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity

LINKUP

a fastener that serves to join or connect

LINOTYPE

a typesetting machine operated from a keyboard that casts an entire line as a single slug of metal

LINOTYPE deserves attention—it's a typesetting machine operated from a keyboard that casts entire lines as single metal slugs. This revolutionary printing technology dominated newspapers for nearly a century. Beyond its historical significance, it's a solid 8-letter play that most opponents won't anticipate.

Popular crossword answers

Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.