Is 'A' a vowel or a consonant?

The letter A is a vowel in the English alphabet. It is one of the five standard vowels used to form syllables.

What are some common words that start with A?

Some common words starting with A include various common terms. These words are frequently used in everyday English communication.

What is the longest word starting with A?

There are many long words starting with A, often found in scientific or medical terminology. Exploring our A-words by length list above can help you find high-value words for word games.

Are there any two-letter words starting with A for Scrabble?

Yes, there are usually valid two-letter words starting with A that are accepted in Scrabble. These short words are incredibly useful for clearing your rack and scoring parallel points.

How is the letter A pronounced in American English?

In American English, the letter A is pronounced with its distinct alphabetical sound. However, its pronunciation can change slightly depending on its position in a word and the letters surrounding it.

Words Starting
With A

Explore the vast world of "A" words. Filter by two-letter combinations below to find exactly what you need. Perfect for students, teachers, and word game enthusiasts.

Explore Words

Total Words

All aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az

Words Starting With Ay

No Words Found

We couldn't find any words starting with "A" for the combination "Ay" in our dictionary. Try selecting another combination!

Origin of the Letter A

Why is 'A' shaped and used the way it is?

The letter 'A' traces its roots back to the Phoenician alphabet around 1000 BCE. The Phoenicians called it "Aleph". The Phoenicians drew an ox head, symbolizing leadership and strength, which is why it earned the first position.

The Evolution

Phoenician: Aleph (Meaning: Ox Head)

Original Symbol: 𐤀

Greek & Latin: Adapted into the modern shape.

Modern English: A

Usage & Significance

Understanding the origin of 'A' helps with spelling, pronunciation, and recognizing root words in modern English vocabulary.

A Words by Length

Quick reference for A-words sorted by character count.

Length	Common Words	Scrabble Point Value Avg
2 Letters	AB	2 - 4 pts
3 Letters	AAL, AAM, AAS, ABA	3 - 6 pts
4 Letters	AAHS, AALS, AANI, AARU	4 - 8 pts
5 Letters	AAHED, AALII, AARGH, AARON	5 - 10 pts
6 Letters	AAHING, AALIIS, AARRGH, ABABUA	6 - 12 pts
7 Letters	AARONIC, AARRGHH, ABABDEH, ABACATE	7 - 14 pts
8 Letters	AARDVARK, AARDWOLF, AARONITE, AASVOGEL	8 - 16 pts

Explore Other Words

Navigate through the alphabet to find more words.

Words Starting With

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Words Ending With

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about words starting with A.

Test Your Knowledge

Take this 50-question quiz on words starting with A.

1. Which is the correct plural possessive form?

Abandoner's Abandoners' Abandoners's Abandons'

2. What does the word 'aardvark' literally mean in Afrikaans?

Ant bear Earth pig Night digger Termite eater

3. Which of the following is true about Aaronites and Levites?

They are completely unrelated All Levites are Aaronites All Aaronites are Levites Aaronites were a rival tribe

4. Which of the following is the correct way to use 'abbacy'?

We visited the stone abbacy. He was appointed to the abbacy. The abbacy bell rang at noon. I painted the abbacy walls.

5. Which of the following products is traditionally made from abacas?

Glass windows Marine ropes Aluminum cans Rubber tires

6. Why can botanists no longer identify the abanga precisely?

It grows only at night It is invisible No scientific name was ever attached to the trade word It is a myth

7. Why should you use 'an' instead of 'a' before 'aardvark'?

It is a proper noun. It starts with a vowel sound. It is a plural word. It comes from Dutch.

8. The plural of abada is:

Abadae Abadas Abada's Abadi

9. In which legal system was 'abaction' a named offense?

French civil law US federal law Scots law Admiralty law

10. How is the word 'abask' correctly pronounced?

AY-bask uh-BASK AB-ask ah-BAYSK

11. Which modern English word replaced 'abacate'?

Apricot Avocado Artichoke Asparagus

12. Who is an Aaronite?

A descendant of Moses A descendant of Aaron A member of the tribe of Judah A common Israelite citizen

13. What part of speech is 'abaction'?

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

14. The plural in English is:

Abadejoes Abadeji Abadejoes's Abadejos

15. What does the noun 'abasement' mean?

A physical basement The act of lowering someone's dignity A type of greeting The act of praising someone

16. What does an abactor do?

Sells cattle at auction Steals and drives away cattle by herds Breeds horses for the frontier Keeps records of livestock sales

17. What is the standard English equivalent of abadejo?

Haddock Salmon Sole Pollock

18. Which sentence uses 'abduce' grammatically and contextually correctly?

The kidnapper abduced the hostage. The muscle abduces the arm from the midline. I will abduce my evidence to the judge. She abduced the rope to pull the boat in.

19. Which sentence contains a gerund error?

Abandoning the draft felt liberating. She regrets abandoning the search. Abandoning plans are stressful. He admitted abandoning the keys.

20. How is an aardwolf different from a typical hyena?

It has stripes It eats insects It is much larger It lives in water

21. Which of the following is a correct plural form of 'abductor'?

Abductores Abducti Abductors Abducta

22. Which sentence uses 'aba' correctly?

I bought a new aba. He abaed down the street. The aba tasted good. She wore a silk aba.

23. In Latin, what did the root verb 'agere' mean?

To buy and sell To drive, lead, or do To steal quietly To count wealth

24. Is 'Aani' a name typically given to boys or girls?

Boys only Girls only Both equally Neither, it is a surname only

25. Which spelling is correct?

aberant abberant aberrant abberent

26. Which written symbol represents the abampere?

abA A Bi emu

27. Choose the grammatically correct use of 'abaised.'

She abaised taller each year. The lord was abaised of his honors. He abaised the door open. They abaised the meeting to Monday.

28. How is the word 'abed' correctly pronounced?

AY-bed AB-id uh-BED ah-BEED

29. How many syllables does 'abacate' have?

Two Three Four Five

30. How many syllables does 'abase' have?

One Two Three Four

31. What is the common English name for the plant known as an 'aalii'?

Hopbush Oak tree Fern Palm

32. Is it correct to say 'abaft the car'?

Yes, always No, it is only for ships Only if the car is on a ferry Yes, in American English

33. What is the difference between an 'abductor' and a 'kidnapper'?

They mean the exact same thing. Abductor is only for animals; kidnapper is for humans. Abductor is broader; kidnapper usually implies a ransom. Kidnapper is a legal term; abductor is slang.

34. Which of the following sentences uses 'aardvark' correctly?

I aardvarked the hole. He saw an aardvark in the zoo. The aardvark ran fastly. It is a aardvark.

35. How is the 'x' in 'abacaxi' typically pronounced in English?

As 'ks' As 'z' As 'sh' As 'h'

36. What is a counting abacus used for?

Weaving cloth Painting walls Storing grain Arithmetic

37. How is the word 'abash' correctly pronounced?

AY-bash uh-BAYSH uh-BASH AB-ash

38. What is an 'abbreviation'?

A shortened form of a word or phrase A type of physical knot A summary of a story A translation into Latin

39. Where does the primary stress fall in the pronunciation of 'abactinal'?

First syllable Second syllable Third syllable Fourth syllable

40. During what time of day are aardwolves most active?

Dawn Midday Dusk Night

41. A history podcast reports that 'the abactor has struck again.' What happened?

A thief drove off a herd of cattle A kidnapper took a hostage A forger copied old documents An actor received rave reviews

42. Which word is the friendlier singular for general readers?

Abaciscus Smalto Tessera Emblema

43. What are mosaic abaculi most commonly made of?

Wood shavings Glass, stone, or clay Pressed paper Woven straw

44. Which sentence uses 'Aaronite' correctly?

The soldier aaronited the city. The Aaronite offered the incense. She was aaronitely dressed. The Aaronite was a rival to Moses.

45. How is the name 'Aani' typically pronounced in English?

ANN-ee (like the English name) AH-nee (with a long 'a') AY-nee ah-NEE (stressed on the second syllable)

46. Why was abaca historically preferred for ship ropes?

It floats on water It is naturally blue It resists saltwater decay It stretches easily

47. What is the word for a person who commits abaction?

Abactor Abductor Abater Abstractor

48. Which historical figure famously mentioned the Ababdeh in his writings?

Marco Polo Sir Richard Burton Christopher Columbus Julius Caesar

49. How many syllables does 'abandonee' have?

Two Three Four Five

50. Which famous maritime phrase uses this word?

Abandoning ship Abandoning mast Abandoning harbor Abandoning anchor