s-i-l-i-c-a
SILICA is silicon dioxide (SiO₂), a chemical compound found in sand, quartz, and glass. With a C worth 3 points, it scores 8 points in Scrabble!
8
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
SILICA is silicon dioxide, one of the most abundant compounds on Earth. It's the primary component of sand, quartz crystals, and glass. In nature, silica forms through the chemical bonding of silicon and oxygen atoms in a crystalline or amorphous structure.
SILICA comes from Latin "silex" meaning "flint" or "hard stone." The term entered scientific English in the early 1800s when chemists were identifying the composition of minerals. The "-ica" suffix indicates a compound related to silicon.
Glass making
Windows, bottles
Silicon chips
Computer processors
Concrete
Construction material
Silica gel packets
"Do not eat" desiccant
Toothpaste
Mild abrasive
Cat litter
Absorbent crystals
•Silica makes up 59% of the Earth's crust - it's literally everywhere beneath our feet!
•SILICA scores well for a 6-letter word and can be formed from the letters in "LAICISE"
•Those "Do Not Eat" packets in shoe boxes? That's silica gel doing its moisture-absorbing job!
"SILICA is my go-to chemistry word - that C on a triple letter score is golden!"
"I love playing science words like SILICA - opponents never expect them!"
Similar length and difficulty words
Total base points: 8 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 3 | Consonants: 3
SILICA is a solid mid-range scorer with its C (3pts). The alternating consonant-vowel pattern makes it flexible for placement.
C Placement is Key
Always try to place the C (3pts) on a double or triple letter score for 6-9 points from one tile.
S-Hook Potential
Starting with S makes SILICA perfect for pluralizing other words while scoring your own.
Bingo Extension
SILICA + S = SILICAS for a 50-point bingo bonus when using all 7 tiles!
SILICA has one valid anagram in Scrabble:
LAICIS
Plural of LAICI (laypeople in religious context)
8 points
Shorter words from SILICA letters:
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like SILICA