QWERTY

KWER-tee

Adjective/Noun6 lettersValid in our Scrabble word list
Unscramble QWERTY

Quick definition

QWERTY The standard keyboard layout for Latin-script alphabets, named after the first six letters in the top row of letters.

Is QWERTY a valid Scrabble word?

Yes. QWERTY is in the Scrabble-style word list used by our tools and scores 21 points in Scrabble, 20 in Words With Friends and 21 in Wordfeud (base tile values, no board multipliers). Always check the dictionary your game uses (NWL, Collins or the WWF list) before playing.

LetterQWERTYTotal
Scrabble104111421
Words With Friends104111320
Wordfeud104111421

Definition and meaning

QWERTY refers to the standard keyboard layout for Latin-script alphabets, named after the first six letters in the top row of letters. This layout was designed in the 1870s for typewriters and has persisted into the digital age despite more efficient alternatives.

The QWERTY layout was allegedly designed to slow down typing to prevent mechanical typewriter jams by separating commonly used letter pairs. However, this is debated, and some historians argue it was optimized for telegraph operators transcribing Morse code.

In word games, QWERTY is notable as one of the few common words containing both Q and Y, making it valuable for clearing difficult tiles. It's also satisfying to play as it references the very keyboard players might use for online word games.

QWERTY in a sentence

  • She struggled to type on the French AZERTY keyboard after years of using QWERTY.
  • The QWERTY layout has been criticized as inefficient compared to alternatives like Dvorak.
  • Most smartphones default to a QWERTY keyboard for text input.

Synonyms

  • KEYBOARD – Input device layout
  • LAYOUT – Arrangement pattern
  • STANDARD – Common format

Antonyms

  • DVORAK – Alternative layout
  • AZERTY – French layout
  • COLEMAK – Modern alternative

Word forms

  • Plural Form: QWERTYS or QWERTIES

Origin

QWERTY is an acronym formed from the first six letters of the standard typewriter keyboard's top row. The layout was patented by Christopher Sholes in 1878 for the Remington typewriter. The name 'QWERTY' itself became common in the mid-20th century as people needed to distinguish between different keyboard layouts. It's one of the few words in English that's directly derived from a spatial arrangement rather than linguistic roots.

Anagrams, hooks and words inside QWERTY

Anagrams: no other word uses exactly the letters of QWERTY.

Hooks: no front hooks; back QWERTYS.

Words inside QWERTY: 21 shorter words can be made from these letters – highest scoring: TWYERWYTEWRYWYEYEWTREYTYERTYREWERTRYETEWTRY. See all words from QWERTY.

Related words

Did you know?

  • The QWERTY layout was designed for mechanical typewriters where keys could jam if pressed too quickly in sequence.
  • August Dvorak claimed his layout could increase typing speed by 35%, but QWERTY was already too established.
  • QWERTY varies slightly between countries - German keyboards have QWERTZ, French have AZERTY.

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