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cross

/kɹɒs/
nounadjectiveprepositionverb

CROSS is a five-letter word worth 7 Scrabble points, with no anagrams and 10 one-letter neighbors.

NWL Collins ENABLE Wordle answer list

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A geometrical figure consisting of two straight lines or bars intersecting each other such that at least one of them is bisected by the other.

    “Put a cross for a wrong answer and a tick for a right one.”

  2. Any geometric figure having this or a similar shape, such as a cross of Lorraine or a Maltese cross.

  3. A wooden post with a perpendicular beam attached and used (especially in the Roman Empire) to execute criminals (by crucifixion).

    “Criminals were commonly executed on a wooden cross.”

  4. A hand gesture made in imitation of the shape of the Cross; sign of the cross.

    “She made the cross after swearing.”

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. Transverse; lying across the main direction.

    “At the end of each row were cross benches which linked the rows.”

  2. (of someone) Bad-tempered, angry, annoyed; (of words) tinged with anger.

    “They exchanged a few cross words.”

  3. Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged.

    “cross interrogatories”

  4. Of the sea, having two wave systems traveling at oblique angles, due to the wind over shifting direction or the waves of two storm systems meeting.

Preposition 1 meaning

  1. The cross product of the previous vector and the following vector.

    “The Lorentz force is q times v cross B.”

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To make or form a cross.

    “She frowned and crossed her arms.”

  2. To move relatively.

    “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

  3. To oppose.

    “"You'll rue the day you tried to cross me, Tom Hero!" bellowed the villain.”

  4. To cross-fertilize or crossbreed.

    “They managed to cross a sheep with a goat.”

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English cross, cros, from Old English cros (“rood, cross”), from Old Norse kross, from Old Irish cros, from Latin crux (crucī). In this sense displaced native Middle English rode, from Old English rōd (“cross”); see English rood. Doublet of crouch (“cross”) and crux. Compare Welsh croes, Irish crois.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
crucifixhybridangryannoyedirritatedcrossbreed

CROSS is a familiar word with two distinct roles: it names an intersecting shape and a wooden execution post. In word games, its double S does not produce any anagrams, but changing one letter gives 10 neighbors. CROSS is also marked as both a Wordle answer and an allowed guess.

CROSS at a glance

  • CROSS has five letters and scores 7 points in Scrabble.
  • Its tile values are C=3, R=1, O=1, and two S tiles at 1 point each.
  • No rearrangement of CROSS appears as an anagram.
  • Ten one-letter neighbors include GROSS, CROPS, CROWS, and CRASS.
  • CROSS is marked as both a Wordle answer and an allowed guess.

What does CROSS mean?

CROSS names a geometrical figure made from two straight bars that intersect, with at least one bar bisecting the other. The same shape appears in named forms such as the cross of Lorraine and the Maltese cross. Two crossing lines make the familiar mark.

Another definition describes a wooden post with a perpendicular beam, used for execution by crucifixion in the Roman Empire. CROSS also names a hand gesture that imitates the shape: the sign of the cross. The gesture and the post are distinct uses tied to the same intersecting-bar image.

Corpus frequency places CROSS at rank 1,034, with 41,692 occurrences. That matches its status as a familiar everyday word rather than a specialist spelling.

CROSS meaning in word games: neighbors and sound

Ten five-letter neighbors differ from CROSS by one letter: GROSS, CROPS, CROWS, CRASS, CROCS, CRESS, DROSS, PROSS, CROST, and CROGS. GROSS changes only the first letter; CROPS and CROWS keep the opening CRO. Some neighbors are much less familiar, so check your game's word list.

Anagrams and rhymes are different clues: CROSS has no anagrams, but its rhyme tail is “oss.” ACROSS, LOSS, BOSS, GROSS, TOSS, MOSS, GLOSS, and FLOSS are among its 12 rhymes. The rhyme set reaches beyond the one-letter neighbors.

The final S also fits a broader five-letter pattern: S accounts for 30% of endings, compared with 7% of starts. That makes the ending less surprising than CROSS’s initial C.

Rhymes with cross

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • GROSS6
  • CROPS9
  • CROWS10
  • CRASS7
  • CROCS9
  • CRESS7
  • DROSS6
  • PROSS7
  • CROST7
  • CROGS8

Questions people ask

Is CROSS a valid Scrabble word?
CROSS scores 7 points in Scrabble. It appears in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE, so it is playable in games using those word lists. The C is worth 3 points; R, O, and each S are worth 1 point apiece.
Does CROSS have any anagrams?
No, CROSS has no anagrams. Its letters are C, R, O, S, and S, but no different arrangement forms an anagram in the listed set. For a sound match instead, its rhyme tail is “oss,” shared by words such as GROSS and ACROSS.
Can CROSS be a Wordle guess?
Yes, CROSS is marked as both a Wordle answer and an allowed guess. Its two S letters matter when interpreting the result: a green or yellow S accounts for only one tile, so track the repeated letter separately.

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