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executive

/ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv/
adjectivenoun

EXECUTIVE scores 21 points in Scrabble, with the X worth 8 and the V worth 4, and the nine-letter word has no anagrams or neighbours.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Adjective 3 meanings

  1. Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect.

  2. Of, pertaining to, or having responsibility for the day-to-day running of an organisation, business, country, etc.

    “executive act”

  3. Exclusive.

    “She works in an office with an executive bathroom.”

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A chief officer or administrator, especially one who can make significant decisions on their own authority.

  2. The branch of government that is responsible for enforcing laws and judicial decisions, and for the day-to-day administration of the state.

  3. A committee that manages the day-to-day running of an organisation. An executive committee.

    “She was on the executive of the Union of Democratic Mineworkers.”

  4. A process that coordinates and governs the action of other processes or threads; supervisor.

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

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle French executif, from Latin executivus, from Latin exsequi, from ex- ‘out’ + sequi ‘follow’.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
suit

An EXECUTIVE is a chief officer, someone who can make significant decisions on their own authority. It is also the branch of government that carries out the law, as opposed to the one that writes it. Rank 1,383 keeps it in regular business vocabulary, and the tile mix is lively.

EXECUTIVE by the numbers

  • The letters are E, X, E, C, U, T, I, V and E, three of them Es.
  • The base score is 21, with X at 8 and V at 4.
  • No anagrams and no one-letter neighbours.
  • Rank 1,383, with a count of 8,515.

What is the difference between the two senses of EXECUTIVE?

As a noun it names a person with authority, such as a company officer. It also names the government branch that puts laws into effect. As an adjective it describes anything to do with carrying out plans or decisions.

The spelling stays the same in all three roles, and Scrabble does not ask which one you meant.

How does the X shape the score?

The X supplies 8 of the 21 points, close to 40 percent. A double-letter square under it raises the word to 29, and the V, worth 4, is the next-best spot for a bonus tile. Pick the square before you commit the tile.

Seven tiles fall two short of nine, so the board has to supply the rest. The three Es help, since an E is the letter you are likeliest to find already in a lane.

How does EXECUTIVE rank among nine-letter words?

Count the endings and E dominates: 4,965 nine-letter words close with that letter, about 12 percent, against 1,857 that open with it. The -IVE tail matches GIVE, LIVE, FIVE, DRIVE and POSITIVE in spelling. Check your game’s word list if a variant tempts you.

Rhymes with executive

All rhymes

Questions people ask

How many points is executive worth in Scrabble?
EXECUTIVE scores 21 points on tiles. X is worth 8, V is worth 4, C is worth 3, and the other six letters are worth 1 each. A double-letter square under the X raises it to 29.
Does executive have anagrams?
No. Nothing else can be built from EXECUTIVE’s tiles, and nothing sits one letter away from it. If you hold these nine letters, there is exactly one word to play, so the rack is all-or-nothing.
What does executive mean?
EXECUTIVE means a chief officer or administrator who can make important decisions, and it also names the branch of government that carries out laws. As an adjective it describes the act of carrying out plans.

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