c-u-r-s-e
CURSE is a solemn utterance intended to invoke supernatural harm, profane language expressing anger, or a cause of great harm or misfortune. Also means to utter offensive words.
7
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
CURSE embodies humanity's belief in the power of words to shape reality. From ancient incantations to modern profanity, from biblical maledictions to sports superstitions, curses represent our deepest fears about language's ability to harm. This word bridges the supernatural and mundane, the sacred and profane, revealing how utterances can become weapons, whether we believe in magic or merely in the psychological power of suggestion.
In its supernatural sense, a curse is a solemn utterance intended to invoke harm or punishment upon someone or something through mystical or divine power. Curses appear in every culture: ancient Egyptian tomb curses threatening grave robbers, Roma curses invoking justice, Caribbean obeah, European witchcraft, and modern Wiccan ethics forbidding harmful magic. Whether effective through spiritual forces or psychological suggestion, curses represent humanity's attempt to weaponize words themselves.
The profane meaning—swearing or using offensive language—evolved from the religious concept. When we "curse," we invoke taboo words related to bodily functions, sexuality, or blasphemy. This linguistic transgression carries social power: cursing can shock, offend, bond, or relieve stress. Studies show swearing actually reduces physical pain perception and increases strength—perhaps explaining why we curse when we stub our toes or lift heavy objects.
As a source of persistent misfortune, "curse" describes seemingly supernatural bad luck. Sports fans know the Curse of the Bambino (Boston Red Sox, 1918-2004) or the Curse of the Billy Goat (Chicago Cubs, 1945-2016). The "curse of the pharaohs" supposedly punished those who disturbed Egyptian tombs. These narrative curses provide explanations for inexplicable patterns of failure, transforming random misfortune into meaningful story.
Religious curses carry special weight. Biblical curses—from God's curse upon the serpent to Jesus cursing the fig tree—demonstrate divine power over creation. The concept of generational curses, where sins affect descendants, appears across traditions. Islamic la'nah, Jewish cherem, Hindu shaap—each tradition recognizes words' power to invoke divine justice. Modern religious practice often focuses more on blessing than cursing, though exorcism rituals still break perceived curses.
Literature and folklore overflow with curses. Sleeping Beauty's spindle curse, the curse of the Hope Diamond, Shakespeare's "Scottish play" curse—stories where words become destiny fascinate us. Modern fiction from Harry Potter's Unforgivable Curses to horror movie cursed objects continues this tradition. These narratives explore whether we control language or language controls us.
For Scrabble players, CURSE offers modest but reliable scoring with 7 base points. The C provides the only premium letter at 3 points, making placement strategy crucial. The word's value lies in its versatility—common letters make it easy to play, while various forms (CURSED, CURSES, CURSING) and the potential for parallel plays with the common -URSE ending create tactical opportunities. The balanced letter distribution increases the probability of drawing this combination.
The etymology of "curse" reveals a fascinating split between religious and secular meanings that diverged in medieval times. The word entered Middle English as "curs" from Old English "curs," but its ultimate origin remains mysteriously uncertain—fitting for a word dealing with dark powers and forbidden speech.
The Old English "curs" appears in texts from around 1050, but linguists cannot trace it further back with certainty. This etymological mystery is unusual—most Old English words have clear Germanic or Latin roots. Some theories suggest:
The ecclesiastical connection seems strongest. Medieval church Latin used "cursus" in phrases like "cursus excommunication"—the formal process of spiritual condemnation. The shortening from "excursus" to "curs" parallels other religious terms entering vernacular speech. By 1200, "curse" meant specifically a prayer for evil or misfortune to befall someone.
The profanity meaning developed later. "Cursing" as swearing appeared around 1300, when taking God's name in vain was literally invoking a curse. The semantic shift from "invoking evil" to "speaking evil words" reflects changing attitudes toward language and blasphemy. By Shakespeare's time, "curse" covered both supernatural malediction and mere foul language.
Related words across languages show interesting patterns:
The verb forms developed regularly: "cursed" (adjective by 1300), "cursing" (1300s), "accursed" (1400s). The phrase "curse word" for profanity appeared surprisingly late (1870s), as did "cuss" as a euphemistic variant (American, 1840s). "Cussing" remains primarily American English.
Modern compounds reveal curse's productivity: curse-breaker, curse-word, recurse (in programming, meaning to repeat recursively). The word's phonetic harshness—the hard C, the serpentine S sounds—makes it satisfying to pronounce in anger, perhaps explaining its persistence as both description and act of verbal aggression.
Every culture has developed elaborate curse traditions. Ancient Mesopotamian curse tablets, Greek katadesmoi (binding curses), Roman defixiones, and Egyptian execration texts show remarkably similar patterns: naming the target, invoking divine power, and specifying punishments. Modern practices like Haitian Vodou, Italian malocchio (evil eye), and Japanese curse dolls (wara ningyo) continue these traditions, suggesting universal human impulses to channel anger through ritual speech.
Research reveals cursing serves multiple psychological functions. Swearing activates different brain regions than normal speech—the limbic system rather than language centers—explaining why people with aphasia can still curse. The "lalochezia" effect shows swearing increases pain tolerance by up to 33%. Social cursing builds group bonds through shared transgression. Even believing in curses affects behavior through "nocebo" effects—negative expectations creating real symptoms.
Many legal systems historically punished cursing. Medieval courts tried "cursing cases" as seriously as physical assault. Modern blasphemy laws in some nations still criminalize religious curses. Conversely, Wiccan ethics embrace "An it harm none, do what ye will," explicitly forbidding harmful curses. Catholic exorcism distinguishes curses from possession, requiring different rituals. These varied approaches reflect deep cultural beliefs about words' power to harm.
Internet culture has created new curse forms. "Copypasta curses" spread through social media ("Share or face seven years bad luck"). Video game curses affect player accounts. Cryptocurrency "cursed NFTs" claim to bring misfortune to owners. While often ironic, these digital curses reveal persistent beliefs in words' power to affect reality, now transmitted through fiber optic cables rather than whispered incantations.
Past Tense/Adjective
cursed
The cursed amulet brought misfortune.
Present Participle
cursing
He was cursing under his breath.
Plural Form
curses
Ancient curses protected the tomb.
Agent Noun
curser
The curser faced divine punishment.
Related Terms
Long-standing malediction
Generational misfortune
End the spell
Affected by evil spell
"The archaeologist hesitated before the sealed door, remembering the curse inscribed above: 'Death shall come on swift wings to whoever disturbs the pharaoh's rest.'"
"She believed her family lay under an ancient curse—every firstborn son had died young for seven generations, a pattern too consistent to be coincidence."
"The old woman muttered a curse in a language I didn't recognize, and though I don't believe in such things, I felt a chill that had nothing to do with the weather."
"He cursed loudly when the hammer found his thumb instead of the nail, a string of expletives that would have made his grandmother faint."
"The coach's constant cursing during practice finally drew a warning from the school board about appropriate language around student athletes."
"She rarely cursed, so when she did, everyone knew the situation was truly serious and gave her their full attention."
"His brilliant mind was both blessing and curse—able to solve any problem but unable to quiet the constant stream of thoughts that robbed him of sleep."
"The lottery win seemed like a dream until it became a curse, attracting false friends and destroying the family's once-simple happiness."
Total base points: 7 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 (U, E) | Consonants: 3 (C, R, S)
Letter frequency: All common except C (medium)
Subwords within CURSE:
💡 Tip: CURSE + D = CURSED for easy extension!
Curse vs. Course
Malediction vs. path/class
Cursed: Two pronunciations
CURST (one syllable) or CUR-SED (poetic)
Curse vs. Hex vs. Jinx
Formal/serious vs. spell vs. minor bad luck
HEX
Evil spell or curse
JINX
Bring bad luck to
SPELL
Magical incantation
DAMN
Condemn; curse word
SWEAR
Use profane language
BLESS
Opposite of curse
Other valuable words starting with C in Scrabble
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like CURSE