The -IC Ending: Science, Medicine, and Word Game Strategy
Walk into any science classroom and you'll hear -IC words all day: ATOMIC, GENETIC, ORGANIC, ELECTRIC, ACIDIC. The suffix comes from Latin "-icus" (via Greek "-ikos") and means "relating to" or "having the nature of." It's the default way English forms adjectives from scientific nouns — ATOM to ATOMIC, GENE to GENETIC, ACID to ACIDIC. This pattern is so productive that new -IC words appear regularly as science coins new terms.
For word game players, -IC is a goldmine. The C tile is worth 3 points in Scrabble, and -IC words tend to be long enough to score well without requiring rare tiles. ABIOTIC (15 points), ACERBIC (13 points), and ACOUSTIC (12 points) are all playable with a reasonable rack. In crosswords, -IC adjectives appear constantly because they cross well with common letters. A crossword constructor can build an entire section of a grid around a long -IC word like CHARACTERISTIC or PHILANTHROPIC.
One useful pattern to memorize: many -IC words have an -ICAL variant (HISTORIC/HISTORICAL, CLASSIC/CLASSICAL), but they don't always mean the same thing. Knowing both forms gives you flexibility in word games. For more suffix-based strategies, explore words ending in ED and words ending in O. Players looking for unusual letter combinations should try words starting with PH and words starting with XI.
FAQ
What's the difference between -IC and -ICAL endings?
Sometimes they're interchangeable (GEOGRAPHIC/GEOGRAPHICAL), but often they carry different meanings. HISTORIC means "famous in history" while HISTORICAL means "relating to history." ECONOMIC means "profitable" while ECONOMICAL means "thrifty." These distinctions matter in crossword clues. For more suffix nuances, see words ending in ED.
Are there -IC words that aren't adjectives?
Yes — MUSIC, MAGIC, PANIC, TOPIC, GARLIC, and TRAFFIC are all nouns. MIMIC can be a verb. The -IC ending doesn't always signal an adjective, though it usually does in scientific contexts. Check words ending in A for another ending that spans multiple parts of speech.
What short -IC words are most useful in Scrabble?
ARC isn't -IC, but words like EPIC (8 points), OTIC (6 points), and DISC (7 points) are solid short plays. For three-letter options, TIC (5 points) is common. The real scoring power comes from 7-8 letter -IC words on bonus squares. Browse words starting with JO for high-value tile combinations.
Three-Letter Words (5)
HICMICPICSICTIC
Four-Letter Words (13)
CHICEMICEPICETICFLICHUICLAICODICOTICPYICSPICURICZOIC
Five-Letter Words (79)
ACMICAMNICANTICAREICASDICASPICATTICAULICAURICAZOICBARICBASICBORICCERICCIVICCOLICCOMICCONICCUBICCYNICDARICDEMICDOMICETHICFOLICGAMICGENICHEMICHUMICICTICIODICIONICLOGICLOTICLUDICLYRICLYTICMAFICMAGICMALICMANICMEDICMELICMESICMIMICMUSICNARICOHMICOLEICONTICOPTICORGICOSMICPANICPUBICPUDICPYRICRABICRELICRUNICSALICSEPICSODICSONICSTOICTELICTONICTOPICTORICTOXICTUNICTYPICUREICVATICVINICXENICXERICYOGICYONIC
Six-Letter Words (197)
ABULICACETICACIDICACINICADIPICAEONICAGAMICAGARICAGONICALCAICAMEBICAMIDICAMINICAMYLICANEMICANISICANODICANOMICANOXICANURICAORTICAPNEICARABICARCTICATAVICATAXICATELICATOMICATONICATOPICATYPICAXENICAXONICAZONICAZOTICBARDICBEYLICBIONICBIOPICBIOTICBROMICBUSTICCADMICCALCICCANTICCAPRICCASEICCHEMICCHORICCHYMICCITRICCLERICCLINICCLITICCLONICCOCCICCOSMICCRETICCRISICCRITICCULTICCUPRICCYANICCYCLICCYSTICDEIFICDELTICDERMICDYADICECESICECHOICEDENICEMETICENATICENOLICEROTICETHNICEXILICEXONICEXOTICFABRICFANFICFELSICFERRICFILMICFISTICFORMICFROLICFUNDICFUNGICFUSTICGALLICGARLICGEODICGESTICGNOMICGOTHICHAEMICHAPTICHECTIC
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Seven-Letter Words (377)
ABIOTICABOULICACERBICACLINICACMATICACRONICACROTICACRYLICACTINICACYCLICAEROBICAGAPEICAGGADICAGNATICAGRAVICALBINICALBITICALEMBICALKALICALKYLICALLELICALLYLICALOETICAMMONICAMNESICAMOEBICANAEMICANERGICANGELICANIONICANOSMICAPHASICAPHETICAPHONICAPHOTICAPLITICAPNOEICAPOGEICAPRAXICAPROTICAQUATICARCHAICARGOTICARKOSICARSENICASCETICASCITICASEPTICASTATICATACTICATRESICATRETICAUGITICAUXETICAUXINICAVIATICAVIONICBACCHICBALDRICBARYTICBASILICBAWDRICBENEFICBENTHICBENZOICBIBASICBIONTICBIOPSICBIOPTICBORACICBORONICBOSONICBOTANICBUBONICBUCOLICBULIMICBUTYRICCALORICCAMBRICCANONICCANOPICCAUSTICCENTRICCERAMICCEROTICCHAOTICCHASMICCHLORICCHOREICCHROMICCHRONICCLASSICCLASTICCOLITICCOLONICCOMATICCOMEDICCOMETICCRYONICCRYPTIC
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Eight-Letter Words (601)
ACADEMICACENTRICACETONICACETYLICACHROMICACIDOTICACONITICACOUSTICACROSTICADYNAMICAETHERICAGENETICAGNOSTICAGRAPHICAGRESTICAKINETICALCHEMICALLERGICALOPECICALUMINICAMITOTICAMNESTICAMNIONICAMNIOTICANABATICANABOLICANAGOGICANALOGICANALYTICANARCHICANATOMICANECHOICANIMALICANODYNICANORETICANOREXICANORTHICANOXEMICANTALGICANTHEMICANTIPYICANURETICAORISTICAPAGOGICAPATETICAPLASTICAPOCOPICAPOGAMICAPRACTICAPYRETICARGENTICAROMATICARTISTICARYTHMICASBESTICASCORBICASPHERICASTHENICATARAXICATECHNICATHLETICATROPHICAUTARKICAUTISTICAUTOPSICAZOTEMICBALLADICBALLETICBALSAMICBANAUSICBARBARICBARYONICBASALTICBATHETICBAUXITICBEATIFICBENZYLICBICYCLICBIOETHICBIOGENICBIOLOGICBIOLYTICBIONOMICBIOTITICBIOTYPICBIPHASICBISTROICBORNITICBROMIDICCACHEXICCAESURICCALCIFICCALCITICCANNABICCARBAMICCARBOLICCARBONICCARDITICCARYATICCATHODIC
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Nine-Letter Words (654)
ABIOGENICACEPHALICACROBATICACROGENICACRONYMICADIABATICAEROBATICAEROLITICAEROLOGICAERONOMICAESTHETICAGONISTICAGROLOGICAGRONOMICAHISTORICAILANTHICALBINOTICALCOHOLICALDEHYDICALEATORICALEURONICALGEBRAICALICYCLICALIPHATICALKALOTICALLANTOICALLEGORICALLOGENICALLOTYPICAMAUROTICAMBLYOPICAMETROPICAMMONITICAMORISTICANABIOTICANACLITICANAEROBICANALCIMICANALECTICANALEPTICANALGESICANALGETICANAPESTICANAPHASICANAPHORICANARTHRICANDESITICANECDOTICANELASTICANHEDONICANIMISTICANKYLOTICANORECTICANOSMATICANTARCTICANTHOZOICANTHROPICANTICIVICANTIGENICANTIMERICANTIMONICANTIMUSICANTINOMICANTITOXICANTITYPICANTONYMICAPATHETICAPERIODICAPHANITICAPHERETICAPLANATICAPODICTICAPOMICTICAPOPTOTICAPOSPORICAPOSTOLICARTHRITICASPHALTICASTHMATICASYLLABICASYNDETICATARACTICATAVISTICATHEISTICATHETOTICATOMISTICAUTARCHICAUTHENTICAUTOGAMICAUTOGENICAUTOLYTICAUTOMATICAUTONOMICAUTOTELICAUTOTOMICAUTOTOXICAXIOMATICAYURVEDICBALLISTICBARIATRIC
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Ten-Letter Words (514)
ACETYLENICACHROMATICACTIVISTICADRENERGICAERONAUTICALBINISTICALDERMANICALKAHESTICALLERGENICALLOGENEICALLOMETRICALLOPATRICALLOPHONICALLOSTERICALLOTROPICALPHABETICALPHAMERICALTRUISTICAMPHOTERICAMYLOLYTICANACHRONICANAGLYPHICANAMNESTICANAMORPHICANAPLASTICANCHORITICANDROGENICANESTHETICANGIOGENICANNALISTICANORTHITICANTIBIOTICANTIDROMICANTIEMETICANTIEROTICANTIHEROICANTIPOETICANTISEPTICANTISTATICANTITHETICANXIOLYTICAPHAERETICAPHORISTICAPODEICTICAPOLOGETICAPOPLECTICAPOSEMATICAPOTROPAICARAGONITICARCHAISTICARITHMETICARRHYTHMICARTHRALGICASCOCARPICASCOSPORICASTIGMATICASTROCYTICASTRONOMICASYMMETRICASYMPTOTICAUDIOGENICAUDIOLOGICAUSTENITICAUTOCRATICAUTOEROTICAXOPLASMICBACTEREMICBAROMETRICBASOPHILICBENTONITICBIMETALLICBIODYNAMICBIOGENETICBIOGRAPHICBIOMIMETICBIOMORPHICBIOSPHERICBOLOMETRICBRONCHITICBRYOPHYTICCABALISTICCARBONYLICCARBOXYLICCARIOGENICCATALECTICCATALEPTICCATAPHORICCELLULOSICCHIASMATICCHILIASTICCHOCOHOLICCHONDRITICCLIOMETRICCOENOCYTICCOLORISTICCONCENTRICCONGENERICCOPROLITICCORYBANTICCOSMOGENIC
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Eleven-Letter Words (474)
ACATALECTICACHONDRITICACIDIMETRICACIDOPHILICACROCENTRICACROMEGALICAERODYNAMICAEROELASTICAGORAPHOBICALBUMINURICALCHEMISTICALGORITHMICALLOGRAPHICALLOMORPHICAMENORRHEICAMPHIPATHICAMPHIPHILICANACOLUTHICANACREONTICANAESTHETICANALEMMATICANARCHISTICANASTOMOTICANIMALISTICANIMATRONICANISEIKONICANISOTROPICANTHRACITICANTIMITOTICANTIPYRETICAPOCALYPTICAPONEUROTICAPOSIOPETICAPOSTROPHICARCHANGELICAREOCENTRICASTROMETRICASTRONAUTICATHEROGENICATMOSPHERICAUDIOMETRICAUTOGRAPHICAUTOTROPHICAUXOTROPHICAXONOMETRICBAROGRAPHICBATHOLITHICBATHYMETRICBIBLIOPEGICBIMORPHEMICBIOCLIMATICBIOELECTRICBIOLOGISTICBIORHYTHMICBIQUADRATICBLASTEMATICBLASTOPORICCACODEMONICCALISTHENICCAMOUFLAGICCARBOCYCLICCARDIOGENICCARDIOTONICCATACLYSMICCATECHISTICCENTROMERICCHALCEDONICCHAMELEONICCHARISMATICCHEMOTACTICCHERNOZEMICCHOLESTATICCHOLESTERICCHOLINERGICCHROMATINICCHROMOGENICCHROMOMERICCHRONOLOGICCLIMACTERICCOENZYMATICCOLUMNISTICCOMMUNISTICCONSPECIFICCOPOLYMERICCOULOMETRICCRYPTOGAMICCRYPTOGENICCRYPTOLOGICCYCLOTHYMICCYSTOSCOPICCYTOGENETICCYTOKINETICCYTOMEGALICCYTOPLASMICDEMOGRAPHICDENDROLOGICDIALOGISTICDIAMAGNETICDIAPHORETICDIASTROPHIC
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Twelve-Letter Words (380)
ABSOLUTISTICACHLORHYDRICACTINOMETRICAEROMAGNETICALLELOPATHICALPHANUMERICAMPEROMETRICAMPHIBRACHICAMPHICTYONICAMPHISBAENICANAGRAMMATICANALPHABETICANAPHYLACTICANASTIGMATICANDROCENTRICANDROGENETICANENCEPHALICANGIOGRAPHICANOREXIGENICANORTHOSITICANTAGONISTICANTHELMINTICANTIACADEMICANTICYCLONICANTIDIABETICANTIDOGMATICANTIECONOMICANTIENTROPICANTIHYSTERICANTILEUKEMICANTIMAGNETICANTIPATHETICANTIPRURITICANTIRACHITICANTIROMANTICANTISTROPHICAORTOGRAPHICAPOCHROMATICAPOTHEGMATICARCHIPELAGICARISTOCRATICARTHROSCOPICASYMPTOMATICAUTODIDACTICAUTOHYPNOTICAVITAMINOTICAXISYMMETRICBATHYPELAGICBELLETRISTICBIBLIOPHILICBIOENERGETICBIOSYNTHETICBLASTOCOELICBRONCHOGENICBUREAUCRATICCALLIGRAPHICCALORIMETRICCAPITALISTICCARCINOGENICCARTOGRAPHICCATACHRESTICCATADIOPTRICCATAPHORETICCATASTROPHICCELLULOLYTICCENTRALISTICCHAUVINISTICCHEMIOSMOTICCHIROGRAPHICCHIROPRACTICCHOROGRAPHICCHROMOPHORICCHRONOMETRICCHYMOTRYPTICCLADOGENETICCLASSICISTICCLAVIERISTICCLEISTOGAMICCOLORIMETRICCOMPATRIOTICCOSMOGRAPHICCOUNCILMANICCYANOGENETICDECASYLLABICDERMATOLOGICDEUTERANOPICDIABETOGENICDIAGEOTROPICDIAGRAMMATICDICARBOXYLICDIENCEPHALICDILATOMETRICDIPHTHERITICDIPLOBLASTICDISCOGRAPHICDISSYMMETRICDODECAPHONICDOPAMINERGICDYNAMOMETRICDYSPHEMISTIC
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Thirteen-Letter Words (266)
ACTINOMORPHICACTINOMYCOTICADVENTURISTICALLELOMORPHICAMPHITHEATRICANACHRONISTICANISOMETROPICANTHROPOGENICANTIARTHRITICANTICLIMACTICANTIEPILEPTICANTIMETABOLICANTIPARASITICANTIPSYCHOTICANTIRHEUMATICANTISCORBUTICANTISPASMODICANTISYMMETRICARCHBISHOPRICARCHITECTONICAUTOCATALYTICBACTERIOLOGICBACTERIOLYTICBEHAVIORISTICBIBLIOGRAPHICBIMETALLISTICBIOGEOGRAPHICBIOSCIENTIFICBIOSYSTEMATICBIOTELEMETRICBRONCHOSCOPICCANNIBALISTICCARDIOGRAPHICCEPHALOMETRICCHLOROPLASTICCHOREOGRAPHICCHROMATOLYTICCHROMONEMATICCHROMOSPHERICCHRONOGRAPHICCOLONIALISTICCONGLOMERATICCONSUMERISTICCOUNTERTACTICCRYPTANALYTICCRYPTOGRAPHICCYCLOOLEFINICCYTOTAXONOMICDENSITOMETRICDETERMINISTICDIAPHRAGMATICDYSMENORRHEICECTOPARASITICELECTROPHILICELECTROSTATICEMBRYOGENETICENCYCLOPAEDICENDOLYMPHATICENDOPARASITICENDOSYMBIOTICEPIDEMIOLOGICEPILEPTOGENICEQUILIBRISTICETHNOHISTORICEUDAEMONISTICEXTRAGALACTICFERRIMAGNETICFERROELECTRICFERROMAGNETICFLUOROGRAPHICGALVANOMETRICGEOHYDROLOGICGERONTOCRATICGONADOTROPHICGRANODIORITICHEMATOPOIETICHETEROGAMETICHETEROMORPHICHETEROTHALLICHETEROTROPHICHISTAMINERGICHOMOIOTHERMICHOMOPOLYMERICHOMOSCEDASTICHYDROCEPHALICHYDROELECTRICHYDROMAGNETICHYPERCALCEMICHYPERESTHETICHYPEREUTECTICHYPERGLYCEMICHYPERMETROPICHYPERROMANTICIDEOGRAMMATICIDIOSYNCRATICILLUSIONISTICIMMANENTISTICIMMUNOGENETICIMPERIALISTICINFRASPECIFIC
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Fourteen-Letter Words (138)
AGGLUTINOGENICANTHROPOMETRICANTIALLERGENICANTIARRHYTHMICANTIDEMOCRATICANTIHISTAMINICANTIHUMANISTICANTINEOPLASTICANTIPHLOGISTICANTISCIENTIFICANTISYPHILITICARTERIOGRAPHICASTHENOSPHERICAUTOBIOGRAPHICBACTERIOSTATICBRACHYCEPHALICBRONCHOSPASTICCARDIOTHORACICCHARACTERISTICCHEMOSYNTHETICCHEMOTAXONOMICCHRONOBIOLOGICCLAUSTROPHOBICCOCARCINOGENICCOLLECTIVISTICCOMPUTERPHOBICCONDUCTIMETRICCONDUCTOMETRICCYCLOALIPHATICCYTOPATHOGENICDERMATOGLYPHICDIASTEREOMERICELECTRODYNAMICELECTROKINETICELECTROOSMOTICEMOTIONALISTICENANTIOMORPHICENDOCRINOLOGICEPIZOOTIOLOGICERGASTOPLASMICERYTHROBLASTICERYTHROPOIETICEXPANSIONISTICEXTRAEMBRYONICFILIOPIETISTICGEOCHRONOLOGICGERONTOMORPHICGLYCOGENOLYTICHALLUCINOGENICHEMOGLOBINURICHERMAPHRODITICHETEROKARYOTICHYPERAESTHETICHYPERENERGETICHYPERKERATOTICHYPERMETABOLICHYPERPARASITICHYPERREALISTICHYPOALLERGENICINTERNUCLEONICKERATINOPHILICMAGNETOSPHERICMEGAKARYOCYTICMERCANTILISTICMETALINGUISTICMETALLOGRAPHICMONOCARBOXYLICMYELENCEPHALICNONCHARISMATICNONHYGROSCOPICNONMECHANISTICNONPSYCHIATRICNONTHERAPEUTICOLIGOPSONISTICOPHTHALMOLOGICOPTOELECTRONICORGANOMETALLICORTHOCHROMATICOSCILLOGRAPHICOSTEOARTHRITICOVEROPTIMISTICOVERSIMPLISTICPARALINGUISTICPARTHENOCARPICPHANTASMAGORICPHOSPHOROLYTICPHOTOSYNTHETICPOIKILOTHERMICPOSTGANGLIONICPOTENTIOMETRICPREPSYCHEDELICPRESYMPTOMATICPROPAGANDISTICPROSENCEPHALICPSYCHOACOUSTICPSYCHOANALYTICPSYCHOBIOLOGICPSYCHODRAMATICPSYCHONEUROTICPYELONEPHRITIC
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Fifteen-Letter Words (82)
ACHONDROPLASTICANTHROPOCENTRICANTHROPOMORPHICANTICHOLINERGICATHEROSCLEROTICBOUSTROPHEDONICCENTROSYMMETRICCHORIOALLANTOICCHROMATOGRAPHICCINEMATOGRAPHICCOMMERCIALISTICCONCEPTUALISTICCONTORTIONISTICCROSSLINGUISTICCYTOPHOTOMETRICDIFFRACTOMETRICDOLICHOCEPHALICELECTROACOUSTICELECTRODIALYTICELECTROMAGNETICELECTROPHORETICENCEPHALOPATHICENDONUCLEOLYTICEXHIBITIONISTICEXOERYTHROCYTICEXPRESSIONISTICEXTRALINGUISTICFUNCTIONALISTICGYNANDROMORPHICHENDECASYLLABICHETEROCHROMATICHISTOPATHOLOGICHISTORIOGRAPHICHYPERCATALECTICIMPRESSIONISTICINDETERMINISTICINDIVIDUALISTICINTERELECTRONICINTERFEROMETRICINTERSCHOLASTICIRRATIONALISTICLIGNOCELLULOSICMAGNETOELECTRICMICROELECTRONICMICROMETEORITICNEUROPATHOLOGICNEUROSCIENTIFICNONANTAGONISTICNONARISTOCRATICNONCARCINOGENICNONPHOTOGRAPHICNONRELATIVISTICNUCLEOSYNTHETICOPHTHALMOSCOPICPALEOGEOGRAPHICPARASYMPATHETICPARTHENOGENETICPARTICULARISTICPERFECTIONISTICPHARMACODYNAMICPHARMACOGNOSTICPHARMACOKINETICPHENOMENALISTICPHENYLKETONURICPHOTOELECTRONICPHOTOGRAMMETRICPHYTOGEOGRAPHICPHYTOPATHOGENICPHYTOPLANKTONICPLATYHELMINTHICPOSTAPOCALYPTICPOSTHEMORRHAGICPROGRESSIVISTICPSYCHOTOMIMETICRADIOTELEMETRICSADOMASOCHISTICSEMILOGARITHMICSOCIOLINGUISTICSYMPATHOMIMETICSYMPTOMATOLOGICULTRADEMOCRATICVENTRILOQUISTIC