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unit

/ˈjuː.nɪt/
nounadjective

UNIT meaning: a single thing, a standard measure or a self-contained part. The four-letter word scores 4 points in Scrabble.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. Oneness, singularity, seen as a component of a whole number; a magnitude of one.

  2. A standard measure of a quantity or magnitude.

    “The centimetre is a unit of length.”

  3. A basic, self-contained component or module that performs a specific function inside a computer system.

  4. The number one.

Adjective 2 meanings

  1. For each unit.

    “We have to keep our unit costs down if we want to make a profit.”

  2. Having a size or magnitude of one.

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

Where it comes from

Etymology

Formerly unite, a later form of unity; see unity.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
unity

UNIT can be a measure like a gram, a component like a kitchen unit, or the number one. It ranks 1,170th in English frequency with a count of 27,376. Its odd shape, with U at the front, makes it unusual among four-letter words.

UNIT facts

  • Letters: I, N, T and U, each worth 1 point.
  • Base Scrabble value: 4 points.
  • No anagrams; three neighbours: KNIT, SNIT and UNIS.
  • Only 62 four-letter words begin with U, about 1 percent of the group.
  • About 8 percent of four-letter words end in T.

Why is a U start unusual?

Just 62 four-letter words start with U, compared with 438 that end in T. The U is the awkward part, since many racks have a spare U and no easy place to put it.

UNIT turns that clumsy tile into four points without needing a premium square. Add an S and you have UNITS, a five-letter play that keeps the same opening and scores 5. That one-tile extension is the safest way to stretch the word on a crowded board.

What sits next to UNIT?

KNIT and SNIT swap the first letter, so each shares the -NIT tail. UNIS swaps the final T for S. KNIT is the common one, as in knitting a scarf or a bone knitting back together; SNIT is a fit of temper, and UNIS is a plural of uni.

The tail -NIT also appears in SUBUNIT, which rhymes with UNIT and adds three letters at the front. That makes SUBUNIT a six-letter extension rather than a hook, so it only helps if the board already holds a UNIT.

Limitation

Note

UNIT has no anagram, so no rearrangement play exists for these four tiles. Check your game's word list before using UNIS, which some casual dictionaries leave out.

Rhymes with unit

All rhymes
  • KNIT8
  • SUBUNIT9
  • GODDAMNIT14
  • WHODUNIT15
  • WHODUNNIT16
  • SNIT4
  • MULTIUNIT11
  • TIGHTKNIT17
  • UNKNIT10
  • WHYDUNIT18
  • INVENIT10
  • BINIT7

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • KNIT8
  • UNIS4
  • SNIT4

Questions people ask

Is unit a valid Scrabble word?
Yes. UNIT is accepted in Collins, NWL2023 and ENABLE. All four tiles are worth 1 point, so the base score is 4. It is an easy play for a rack that carries a spare U.
What does unit mean?
UNIT means a single thing regarded as part of a whole, a standard measure such as a kilometre or a gram, or the number one. It also names a self-contained component in a larger system, such as a kitchen unit or a computing module.
What words are one letter away from unit?
Three words sit one letter from UNIT: KNIT, SNIT and UNIS. KNIT and SNIT change the first letter, while UNIS changes the last. None is an anagram, since UNIT has no rearrangements at all.

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