kah-NAHT
QANAT An ancient underground channel system for irrigation, particularly common in Iran and other arid regions.
Yes. QANAT is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 14 points in Scrabble, 15 in Words With Friends and 14 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.
| Letter | Q | A | N | A | T | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Words With Friends | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| Wordfeud | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 |
A qanat is an ancient Persian system of underground channels that transport water from aquifers in highlands to surface level in arid regions. This ingenious irrigation technology dates back over 2,500 years and represents one of humanity's most sustainable water management systems.
The construction of qanats requires remarkable engineering skill, involving a series of vertical shafts connected by gently sloping tunnels that can extend for many kilometers. The system works entirely by gravity, requiring no pumps or external power sources.
For Scrabble players, QANAT joins the valuable collection of Q-without-U words. Its 5-letter length and the presence of common letters like A, N, and T make it more playable than some exotic Q words, while still offering substantial point value.
The word 'qanat' comes from Persian, where it has been used for millennia to describe these water channels. The technology likely originated in Persia (modern-day Iran) around 500-800 BCE. The word entered English through academic and technical literature about Middle Eastern water management systems. Alternative spellings include 'kanat' and 'khanat,' though 'qanat' is most common in English.
Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of QANAT.
Hooks: no front hooks; back QANATS.
Words inside QANAT: 10 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: QATANTAANAANTTANAAANATNATA. See all words from QANAT.