jaz
JAZZ A genre of music characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and distinctive rhythm; also means to enliven or embellish.
Yes. JAZZ is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 29 points in Scrabble, 31 in Words With Friends and 31 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | J | A | Z | Z | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 8 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 29 |
| Words With Friends | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 31 |
| Wordfeud | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 31 |
Jazz is a music genre that originated in African American communities of New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's characterized by improvisation, syncopated rhythms, blues notes, and complex harmonies. Jazz evolved from blues and ragtime into numerous subgenres.
As a verb, jazz means to play jazz music or to enliven, embellish, or make more exciting. The phrase 'jazz up' means to make something more interesting or lively, extending the musical term's association with energy and creativity into general usage.
In Scrabble, JAZZ represents one of the highest-scoring 4-letter words possible, with double J and double Z. This configuration is unique in common English words, making JAZZ a crucial word for competitive players to remember.
The etymology of 'jazz' is debated and somewhat controversial. It first appeared in print around 1912, possibly from baseball slang meaning 'pep' or 'energy.' Some trace it to African American slang, possibly from 'jasm' (energy) or African roots. The word initially had sexual connotations before becoming primarily associated with music.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of JAZZ.
Hooks: no front hooks; back JAZZY.
Words inside JAZZ: 1 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: ZA. See all words from JAZZ.