n-o-s-e
NOSE is the facial feature used for breathing and smelling. At 4 points in Scrabble, it's a simple but useful word for clearing common tiles!
4
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
NOSE is the prominent facial feature that contains the nostrils and serves as the primary organ for smell. Beyond its biological function, the nose appears in countless idioms and expressions, from "nose to the grindstone" to "follow your nose."
NOSE comes from Old English "nosu," related to Old Norse "nǫs" and German "Nase." All derive from Proto-Germanic "*nusō," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European "*nas-" meaning "nose" - one of the most ancient and stable words across languages.
Follow your nose
Go straight ahead
Nose around
Snoop or pry
Nose to the grindstone
Work hard
14 types
Basic nose shapes
10,000+ scents
Human detection ability
Grows forever
Cartilage keeps growing
•Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents, and smell is the sense most linked to memory!
•The word NOSE appears in over 50 English idioms - more than any other body part!
•NOSE is one of the most common 4-letter words played in Scrabble due to its all-common letters
"NOSE is my rack-clearing hero - all common letters but still worth 4 points!"
"I love playing NOSE parallel to other words - NO, OS, SE are all valid!"
In context: "She had a nose for trouble and could sense when something was wrong."
Word game tip: "NOSE + D = NOSED, or add Y for NOSEY/NOSY - both spellings are valid!"
Similar length and difficulty words
Total base points: 4 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 2 | Consonants: 2
NOSE uses only the most common tiles, making it perfect for clearing a cluttered rack while maintaining flexibility.
Parallel Play Champion
NOSE creates NO, OS, SE when played parallel. All are valid 2-letter words for extra points!
S-Hook Versatility
Starting with S makes NOSE perfect for pluralizing. Also ends with E for easy -D, -R, -S additions.
Extension Paradise
NOSE → NOSED, NOSES, NOSEY/NOSY. Multiple valid extensions keep options open.
NOSE has several valid anagrams in Scrabble:
ONES
Plural of ONE
4 points
SONE
Unit of loudness
4 points
EONS
Plural of EON (ages)
4 points
NOES
Plural of NO
4 points
Shorter words from NOSE letters:
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like NOSE