EXAMINATION A detailed inspection or analysis; formal test of knowledge or ability; close scrutiny or investigation. Worth {gameData[selectedGame as keyof typeof gameData].points} base points with the valuable X.
Yes. EXAMINATION is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 20 points in Scrabble, 23 in Words With Friends and 20 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | E | X | A | M | I | N | A | T | I | O | N | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
| Words With Friends | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 23 |
| Wordfeud | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 |
Examination embodies humanity's quest to measure, understand, and validate knowledge. From ancient Chinese civil service exams selecting imperial officials to modern standardized tests shaping futures, examinations serve as society's sorting mechanism. This word captures both the anxiety-inducing ritual of testing and the broader concept of careful scrutiny—whether a doctor examining patients, scientists examining evidence, or consciousness examining itself. Every examination represents a threshold moment where preparation meets opportunity.
The examination system evolved from medieval universities where oral disputations tested scholarly merit. The written examination emerged in 19th-century Prussia, spreading globally as education industrialized. Today's digital age transforms examinations again—online proctoring, adaptive testing, continuous assessment. Yet the core tension remains: examinations simultaneously democratize opportunity (merit over birthright) and perpetuate inequality (test preparation advantages). This paradox makes "examination" a contested cultural battleground.
Beyond academia, examination permeates life. Medical examinations safeguard health; quality examinations ensure safety; self-examination promotes growth. The examined life, Socrates argued, is the only one worth living. In law, cross-examination seeks truth; in science, peer examination validates discoveries. Even leisure involves examination—wine tasters examining vintages, collectors examining authenticity. This universal human impulse to inspect, analyze, and verify makes examination fundamental to progress.
EXAMINATION derives from Latin "examinare," meaning "to weigh accurately," from "examen" (tongue of a balance, swarm of bees). The root connects to "exigere" (to weigh, measure, examine). The image of bees swarming out for inspection gave Romans their word for careful scrutiny. Entering English via Old French in the 14th century, it first meant "judicial inquiry" before expanding to academic testing in the 1600s. This evolution from weighing precious metals to weighing minds reflects society's shift from measuring material to intellectual worth.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of EXAMINATION.
Hooks: no front hooks; back EXAMINATIONS.
Words inside EXAMINATION: 265 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: EXAMINANTANOXEMIATOXAEMIATAXIMANTAXIMENTOXEMIAANATOXINAXEMANMENINXTAXMANTAXMENAXIOM. See all words from EXAMINATION.