6-letter words with I as the 4th letter and M as the 5th letter

Twenty-four of the 40 close on IMA or IMS, and the IMA group is full of Latin superlatives: MAXIMA, MINIMA, OPTIMA, ULTIMA and INTIMA. Only CLAIMS, REGIME and SHRIMP count as common English words, so the list rewards pattern knowledge more than recognition.

The I-fourth, M-fifth pattern at a glance

• All 40 matches put I fourth and M fifth, and 24 of them close on IMA or IMS.
• MAXIMA, JEMIMA and MAXIMS share the top score, 17 points each.
• S opens seven matches, the most of any first letter.
• Only CLAIMS, REGIME and SHRIMP count as common English words.
• Nine entries end in IMA, from MINIMA to CALIMA.

The IMA and IMS core

Latin superlatives cluster here because the I-M pair sits just before the final vowel or S. MAXIMA, MINIMA, OPTIMA, ULTIMA and INTIMA all end in IMA, and JEMIMA and CALIMA join them. The IMS group is larger at 15 words and collects plurals such as MAXIMS, DENIMS, MINIMS and KILIMS.

The other 16 matches avoid both tails. Ten close on E, among them REGIME, UPTIME, RETIME and BETIME; three end on P, including SHRIMP and SKRIMP; and the last few finish on Y, O or I.

Endings, openers and top scores

Final letters settle most of the shape: 15 matches end in S, 10 in E and nine in A, so those three cover 34 of the 40. The first letter is far weaker evidence, led by S on seven words and B, M and U on four each.

Rare tiles do the heavy lifting at the top. MAXIMA and MAXIMS both spend an eight-point X, JEMIMA carries the eight-point J, and HAKIMS adds a K for 15. Without one of those, the ceiling drops to SKRIMP on 14.

Collins holds all 40, while NWL2023 and ENABLE keep 26 each. With only three common words, most of the list is specialist vocabulary, so check your game's word list before an unfamiliar play.