Words Ending in EL: Angels, Bagels, and Scalpels
The -EL ending carries a distinctive sound that makes these words easy to spot in crossword grids. This group ranges from the everyday — ANGEL, BAGEL, CAMEL, HOTEL, MODEL, NOVEL, TOWEL — to the technical: SCALPEL, PARALLEL, APPAREL. A good number of -EL words entered English from French, where the suffix often indicates a diminutive or a tool: MORSEL (small bite), SATCHEL (small sack), CHISEL (cutting tool). Hebrew also contributes its share, with ANGEL, BABEL, and ISRAEL all tracing back to Hebrew roots.
For Scrabble players, the -EL ending is a reliable extension play. Got an existing word on the board ending in E? Sometimes you can hook an L onto it. JEWEL (15 points with the J), PIXEL (14 points), and EXCEL (14 points) are high-value plays that use premium tiles well. Crossword constructors reach for -EL words constantly because the EL combination crosses easily with common letter patterns. EASEL ("painter's prop"), VOWEL, and HAZEL appear in puzzles weekly. One word game trick: remember that many -EL words have alternate -LE spellings in British English — TRAVEL/TRAVELLE is not one, but MODEL can become MODELLING with double L in British usage. For related patterns, words ending in ING shares that verb-extension flexibility, and words starting with A is packed with -EL words like ANGEL, APPAREL, and AXEL. Check words ending in ED for past-tense forms of -EL verbs.
FAQ
Do -EL words double the L when adding suffixes?
In American English, usually not: TRAVEL becomes TRAVELING. In British English, the L doubles: TRAVELLING. But some words always double: EXCEL becomes EXCELLING in both dialects. CANCEL goes to CANCELLING (British) or CANCELING (American). This matters in Scrabble — both forms are valid in SOWPODS. See words ending in TION for another suffix with spelling variations.
What crossword clues commonly lead to -EL answers?
Watch for: "painter's stand" (EASEL), "church recess" (CHANCEL), "eye color" (HAZEL), "desert animal" (CAMEL), "morning food" (BAGEL), "surgical knife" (SCALPEL). The -EL ending is so common in crosswords that developing a mental list pays off quickly. For more crossword-frequent endings, see words starting with PH.
What's the highest-scoring -EL word in Scrabble?
JEWEL at 15 base points leads the common plays. PIXEL (14), EXCEL (14), and HAZEL (17) are also strong. For a bingo play, PARALLEL (10 points but using 8 tiles) or UNRAVEL don't score as high per tile but can earn the 50-point bonus. Browse words starting with L for more L-tile strategies.
Two-Letter Words (1)
Three-Letter Words (8)
Four-Letter Words (16)
Five-Letter Words (75)
Six-Letter Words (120)
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