PIZZAZZ means an attractive combination of energy, style, and glamour; sparkle, vitality, or flamboyant flair.
Yes. PIZZAZZ is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 45 points in Scrabble, 46 in Words With Friends and 46 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | P | I | Z | Z | A | Z | Z | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 45 |
| Words With Friends | 4 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 46 |
| Wordfeud | 4 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 46 |
PIZZAZZ (also spelled pizazz, pzazz, bezazz) embodies that indefinable quality of exciting attractiveness - a combination of energy, style, and glamour that makes something or someone stand out. It's the sparkle that transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. Created by Harvard Lampoon writers in 1937 as pure linguistic invention, pizzazz captures what the French call "je ne sais quoi" - that certain something that defies precise definition but is instantly recognizable. It suggests vitality, flair, and magnetic appeal. Elements of pizzazz: Energy: Dynamic liveliness and vigor Style: Distinctive and attractive presentation Glamour: Exciting and alluring quality Confidence: Self-assured presentation
The etymology of pizzazz is delightfully modern - it was invented from whole cloth around 1937 by the Harvard Lampoon, demonstrating that even in the 20th century, English could gain words through pure creative invention. Diana Vreeland of Harper's Bazaar popularized it, writing: "Pizazz is an indefinable dynamic quality, the je ne sais quoi of function; as for instance, adding Scotch puts pizazz into a drink." The variable spelling (pizzazz, pizazz, pzazz, bezazz) reflects its playful origins. The double or quadruple Z spelling emphasizes the buzzing energy the word conveys. No other English word has more accepted variant spellings.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of PIZZAZZ.
Hooks: no front hooks; back PIZZAZZY.
Words inside PIZZAZZ: 11 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: PIZAZZPIZZAZZZZPIZZAZAPZIPZAPIAPAPIAI. See all words from PIZZAZZ.