l-u-c-k-y
LUCKY means having, bringing, or resulting from good luck or fortune. This favorable adjective scores 14 points in Scrabble, with the valuable K (5 points) and Y (4 points) contributing to its worth in word games.
14
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
LUCKY is an adjective describing someone or something favored by fortune, experiencing positive outcomes often attributed to chance rather than planning or skill. It's one of the most commonly used words to express good fortune in English.
The word encompasses several related meanings:
In Scrabble, LUCKY is particularly valuable because it contains both K (5 points) and Y (4 points), making it worth 14 base points. The word's common usage and flexible placement options make it a practical play when you have these high-value letters.
LUCKY derives from the noun "luck" combined with the suffix "-y":
Luck (Middle Dutch: luc)
From Middle Dutch "luc," short for "gheluc" meaning happiness or good fortune. The word entered English in the 15th century through gambling contexts, where it originally meant "good fortune in games of chance."
-y (Old English: -ig)
A common English suffix that forms adjectives meaning "having the quality of" or "characterized by." This Germanic suffix has been productive in English since before the Norman Conquest.
The adjective "lucky" first appeared in the early 16th century, initially used primarily in gaming and gambling contexts before expanding to general usage describing any form of good fortune.
"Lucky break" - An unexpected piece of good fortune or favorable opportunity
"Lucky charm" - An object believed to bring good luck to its owner
"Third time lucky" - The hope that success will come after two failures
"Lucky streak" - A continuous period of good fortune or success
•The number 7 is considered lucky in many cultures, while 13 is often seen as unlucky in Western societies
•LUCKY contains both K (5 points) and Y (4 points), making it worth 14 base points in Scrabble
•The phrase "lucky dog" has been used in English since the 1800s to describe a fortunate person
•LUCKY can be extended to LUCKILY (adverb) or LUCKIER/LUCKIEST (comparative/superlative)
•In Chinese culture, the number 8 is considered extremely lucky due to its pronunciation similarity to "wealth"
"She felt lucky to have found a parking spot right in front of the restaurant."
"The lucky winner of the lottery decided to donate half to charity."
"He always wore his lucky socks to important job interviews."
"It was just lucky timing that we arrived before the storm hit."
The concept of luck varies dramatically across cultures. While Western societies often view luck as random chance, many Eastern philosophies see it as karma or the result of past actions. The word "lucky" itself reflects this cultural divide.
In gambling history, "lucky" became particularly prominent during the Gold Rush era, when fortune seekers would speak of "lucky strikes" in mining. This usage spread to general American English, where being "lucky" became synonymous with the American Dream of sudden prosperity.
Today, "lucky" appears in countless brand names, from Lucky Strike cigarettes to Lucky Brand jeans, capitalizing on the positive associations people have with the word and the universal human desire for good fortune.
Spelling: Don't confuse with "luckey" - LUCKY has no E before the Y.
Placement: Maximize the K by placing it on a letter multiplier - don't waste its 5-point value.
Extensions: Remember LUCKILY uses all different letters - no double L or double Y.
Y Usage: The Y counts as a consonant in LUCKY, not a vowel, for scoring purposes.