Words Starting With PLA
100 wordsPLA- words bring together planning, playing, and placing—three fundamental human activities that share a common linguistic thread. This pattern offers a rich mix of everyday vocabulary and technical terminology, from the playground to the laboratory.
4-letter words
35-letter words
106-letter words
117-letter words
228-letter words
239-letter words
1610-letter words
911-letter words
412-letter words
2Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The PLA- combination proves surprisingly versatile in word games, offering both accessible everyday words and high-scoring technical terms.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The Latin root 'planus' (flat, level) anchors many PLA- words: plane, plain, plateau, platform. Greek 'platos' (broad) contributes through words like plaza and platitude. This dual ancestry explains why PLA- words often relate to surfaces, spaces, and expansion—whether physical flatness or abstract broadening of ideas.
Total Words
331
0.1% of dictionary
Avg Length
9.1 letters
2.8 syllables
Top Scrabble
PLATYHELMINTHIC
30 points
Longest Word
PLAINCLOTHESMAN
15 letters
Parts of Speech
At 72% nouns, this pattern leans heavily toward naming things rather than actions or qualities. The average length of 9.1 letters reflects a wealth of technical and compound words, while the pattern's absence of two or three-letter words means every PLA- play requires planning ahead.
Middle English and Latin dominate this pattern, with French and Ancient Greek following close behind. The etymology of PLAZA traces a fascinating Mediterranean journey: from Greek πλατεῖα through Latin platea to Spanish plaza, showing how public spaces carried their names across cultures. PLATINUM follows a similar Spanish-to-French route, named for its resemblance to silver (plata).
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
Long (8+)
Short (2-4)
Long (8+)
flat on one side and convex on the other
PLANXTY—an Irish harp tune—scores 19 points in Scrabble but jumps to 21 in Words With Friends, making it even more valuable there. PLAQUE shows similar divergence: 17 points in Scrabble versus 20 in WWF, thanks to the higher Q value. For accessible plays, PLAY and PLAN remain reliable four-letter options, with PLAY gaining an extra point in WWF. The monster PLATYHELMINTHIC (relating to flatworms) tops both games, perfect when you're holding awkward consonants.
Wordle
5-letter words for daily puzzles
Good Starters (E, A, R, S, T)
(baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
Common Words (likely answers)
PLATE makes an excellent Wordle starter, testing three vowels (A and E) plus two common consonants (L and T). The P helps eliminate or confirm one of English's most frequent opening letters.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
Without any two or three-letter options, PLA- words force commitment. The abundance of longer words stems from Greek and Latin compounds—PLATY- (flat), PLAGI- (oblique), and PLANO- (level) attach to roots creating technical vocabulary.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
mammals having a placenta; all mammals except monotremes and marsupials
"all mammals except monotremes and marsupials are placental mammals"
in a quiet and tranquil manner
"the sea now shimmered placidly before our eyes"
take without referencing from someone else's writing or speech; of intellectual property
large European food fish
PLAICE is a large European flatfish and a gift for word game players. At just six letters with common tiles, it's far more playable than exotic alternatives. Knowing your fish names pays off—PLAICE clears your rack efficiently while most opponents won't think to challenge.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.
More "PLA" Pages
Browse words by longer letter combinations starting with "PLA".