ET Words: From Ancient Greek to Modern Etiquette
ET as a word root traces back to both Greek and Latin, and the words it opens reflect that dual heritage. On the Greek side, you get ETYMOLOGY (the study of word origins), ETHOS (the characteristic spirit of a culture), and ETHER (the substance once thought to fill outer space). On the Latin side, ETERNAL and ETIQUETTE carry different flavors. ETIQUETTE itself has a fun backstory — it comes from Old French estiquette, a small card listing rules of behavior at court. The word literally meant "little ticket," and the rules-of-conduct meaning developed because these behavioral guidelines were posted on cards.
In Scrabble, ET is a valid two-letter word scoring just 2 points (E=1, T=1), but don't underestimate it — like all two-letter words, it enables parallel plays that multiply your score across multiple rows. ETA, the Greek letter, scores 3 points and appears in crosswords constantly, usually clued as "Greek letter," "airport board info," or "estimated time of arrival." ETAGERE (a decorative shelving unit) is a lovely 7-letter play worth 8 points that uses only common tiles.
Crossword fact: ETCH, ETHIC, ETHNIC, and ETUDE are the ET- words that appear most frequently in puzzle grids. ETUDE (a musical study composition, from French) is a crossword darling because its vowel-heavy structure makes it easy for constructors to build around. Memorize it. For more Greek-letter words, check words starting with Z for ZETA. The words starting with X page covers XI, another Greek letter that's a word game staple, and words starting with B has BETA in its ranks.
FAQ
Is ET a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, ET is valid in SOWPODS (the international Scrabble dictionary). In TWL (North American tournaments), it was added in more recent updates. It's a past tense dialectal form of "eat." At 2 points it's minimal, but its board utility for parallel plays is real. For higher-scoring two-letter words, see words starting with XU where XU scores 9 points.
What does ETAGERE mean and is it useful in word games?
An etagere is an open-shelved stand used to display ornaments or plants. In Scrabble, ETAGERE uses 7 common tiles for 8 points base — not spectacular, but its all-common-letter composition means you'll have the tiles for it regularly. It's also a bingo candidate worth the 50-point bonus. For other furniture-related crossword words, explore words starting with S for SETTEE, SOFA, and STOOL.