Words Ending
in ITY

-ITY comes from Latin and forms abstract nouns from adjectives, meaning "the state or quality of." QUALITY, ABILITY, EQUALITY, CREATIVITY. From CITY and PITY to CREATIVITY and POPULARITY, -ITY words appear throughout formal English and are essential in Scrabble.

What Does -ITY Mean?

The suffix -ITY comes from Latin -itas and forms abstract nouns from adjectives meaning "the state or quality of being." QUALITY = state of qual-, ABILITY = state of being able, CREATIVITY = quality of being creative. -ITY is the Latinate counterpart to Old English -NESS. Both mean the same thing — -NESS attaches to native English adjectives (DARKNESS, KINDNESS), while -ITY attaches to Latinate adjectives (DENSITY, INTENSITY, CLARITY). Sometimes both coexist: CREATIVENESS and CREATIVITY both mean the same thing, but -ITY is more formal in academic contexts.

-ITY Words by Length

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the -ITY suffix mean?

-ITY comes from Latin -itas and forms abstract nouns meaning "the state or quality of being." QUALITY = quality of qual-, ABILITY = state of being able, EQUALITY = state of being equal. -ITY is the Latinate counterpart to Old English -NESS. Both mean the same thing, but -ITY attaches to Latinate adjectives (INTENSE → INTENSITY, EQUAL → EQUALITY) while -NESS attaches to native English adjectives (KIND → KINDNESS).

What are the highest-scoring -ITY words in Scrabble?

Top -ITY plays: QUALITY (19 pts) and QUANTITY (19 pts) score highest due to Q. VICINITY (16 pts), FELICITY (15 pts), DUPLICITY (15 pts), SANCTITY (13 pts). QUALITY is exceptional — 7 letters, 19 points, and very common in Scrabble. VICINITY (16 pts) is the top non-Q -ITY word.

What 7-letter -ITY words work in Scrabble?

7-letter -ITY Scrabble plays: QUALITY (19 pts), CLARITY (12 pts), DIGNITY (11 pts), GRAVITY (13 pts), REALITY (10 pts), SOCIETY (12 pts), VARIETY (13 pts), ABILITY (12 pts), BREVITY (15 pts), CHARITY (15 pts). QUALITY (19 pts) is the top 7-letter -ITY bingo, followed by BREVITY and CHARITY.

What are common words ending in -ITY?

Common -ITY words: CITY, PITY, DEITY, UNITY, SANITY, VANITY, PURITY, ABILITY, CLARITY, QUALITY, REALITY, SOCIETY, VARIETY, ACTIVITY, CAPACITY, EQUALITY, IDENTITY, MAJORITY, PRIORITY, SECURITY, ADVERSITY, COMMUNITY, CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY, DIVERSITY, GENEROSITY, POPULARITY, POSSIBILITY, SENSITIVITY, VISIBILITY.