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step

/stɛp/
nounverb

STEP meaning: STEP is a common four-letter noun for a pace, a stair tread, or a foot-rest; its standard Scrabble face value is 6 points.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. An advance or movement made from one foot to the other; a pace.

  2. A rest, or one of a set of rests, for the foot in ascending or descending, as a stair, or a rung of a ladder.

  3. The part of a spade, digging stick or similar tool that a digger's foot rests against and presses on when digging; an ear, a foot-rest.

  4. The button joining a glass's stem to its foot.

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To move the foot in walking; to advance or recede by raising and moving one of the feet to another resting place, or by moving both feet in succession.

  2. To walk; to go (on foot, especially) a little distance.

    “Come one, come all. Step right up!”

  3. To walk slowly, gravely, or resolutely.

  4. To dance.

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

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English steppen, from Old English steppan (“to step, go, proceed, advance”), stepe (“step”), from Proto-West Germanic *stappjan, from Proto-Germanic *stapjaną (“to step”), *stapiz (“step”), from Proto-Indo-European *stebʰ- (“to support, stomp, curse, be amazed”).

Similar and opposite words

Similar
stride

STEP is an everyday word with several concrete senses, from walking to climbing stairs. Its four letters also make four anagrams, including PEST and PETS, while changing just one letter produces neighbours such as STOP and STEM. For a quick play, the P is the tile to notice: it carries more face value than the other three letters.

STEP at a glance

  • STEP has four letters and a standard Scrabble face value of 6 points.
  • The P is worth 3 points; S, T, and E are each worth 1.
  • Its four anagrams are SEPT, PETS, PEST, and SPET.
  • STOP and STEM are two of STEP’s 10 one-letter neighbours.
  • STEP rhymes with 12 listed words, including DUBSTEP and MISSTEP.

STEP meaning and Scrabble score

As a noun, STEP can mean a movement from one foot to the other, or the pace made by that movement. It also names a stair or ladder rung used when ascending or descending. Those related meanings make STEP easy to picture: the word can describe a stride or the foothold that carries you upward.

STEP has other, more specialized senses too. It can be the part of a spade or digging tool pressed by the foot, and it can name the button joining a glass stem to its foot. On a plain Scrabble board, the letters add to 6 points: the P supplies 3, and the S, T, and E supply 1 each.

What can you make from STEP?

Rearrange STEP to form PEST, PETS, SEPT, or the less familiar SPET. PEST and PETS are the easiest to spot because both are everyday words; SEPT is a less common term, and SPET is unlikely to spring to mind during a fast turn. The practical trick is to check both familiar endings, -EST and -ETS, before settling on a play.

For a one-tile change, STOP and STEM are natural neighbours, while STEW and SEEP offer other recognizable options. The full neighbour set contains 10 words, so not every match will be familiar. STEP also connects by rhyme to compound words such as DOORSTEP, SIDESTEP, and FOOTSTEP.

Rhymes with step

All rhymes
  • DOORSTEP11
  • DUBSTEP12
  • MISSTEP11
  • SIDESTEP11
  • OVERSTEP13
  • LOCKSTEP16
  • FOOTSTEP13
  • QUICKSTEP26
  • INSTEP8
  • MULTISTEP13
  • STAIRSTEP11
  • COUNTERSTEP15

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • STOP6
  • STEM6
  • STEW7
  • SEEP6
  • STEN4
  • STAP6
  • STET4
  • STED5
  • SKEP10
  • STEY7

Questions people ask

What does STEP mean?
STEP means a movement from one foot to the other, or a pace. It can also mean a stair or ladder rung, a foot-rest on a digging tool, or the button joining a glass stem to its foot. The intended meaning depends on how the word is used.
How many points is STEP worth in Scrabble?
STEP is worth 6 points before any board bonuses. Its P is worth 3 points, while S, T, and E are each worth 1. A letter or word premium square can raise the turn’s total, but it does not change the face value of the tiles.
What are the anagrams of STEP?
The four anagrams of STEP are SEPT, PETS, PEST, and SPET. PETS and PEST are familiar choices; SEPT and SPET are less likely to come to mind quickly. Check the word list used in your game if you plan to play one of the less familiar forms.

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