d-e-r-v-i-s-h
DERVISH is a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises, particularly the whirling dance of Sufi dervishes. In word games, it's a valuable 7-letter word featuring the high-scoring V and H tiles.
14
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
A DERVISH is a member of a Muslim religious order who has taken vows of poverty and austerity. Most famously known for the "whirling dervishes" of the Mevlevi order, who perform a spinning dance as a form of dhikr (remembrance of God). The image of white-robed figures spinning in meditation has become an iconic symbol of mystical Islam.
In word games, DERVISH spins up 14 base points. Using all 7 tiles earns you the coveted 50-point bingo bonus, making your total score 64 points before any multipliers! The V (4 points) and H (4 points) provide solid scoring potential.
Strategic tip: DERVISH is an anagram of SHRIVED (past tense of shrive), giving you flexibility with the same tiles. The -ISH ending is particularly useful for parallel plays. Look for opportunities to build from existing words ending in -ERV or play off the common -ISH pattern.
DERVISH comes from Turkish "derviş," from Persian "darvīsh," meaning "poor" or "needy one," referring to their vow of poverty. The word entered English in the 1580s through contact with the Ottoman Empire. Its association with whirling comes from the Mevlevi order founded by followers of the poet Rumi in the 13th century.
•DERVISH is an anagram of SHRIVED - two different 7-letter bingo options with the same tiles
•Religious and mystical words like DERVISH are often overlooked but perfectly valid in games
•The -ISH suffix in DERVISH appears in many words, making it a valuable pattern to remember
"DERVISH for a bingo! 64 points plus 50 - that V and H combo really whirls up the score!"
"Cultural words like DERVISH are goldmines - everyone knows them but forgets they're playable!"
BUZZWORD
32 pts
PUZZLED
28 pts
MAXIMIZE
28 pts
JUKEBOX
27 pts
OXIDIZE
24 pts
COMPLEX
20 pts
AMAZING
19 pts
EXAMPLE
18 pts