Words Ending in OUS
Browse words ending in OUS — adjectives describing quality or characteristic. Essential for Scrabble, crosswords, Wordle, and vocabulary building.
About -OUS Words
Words ending in -OUS form adjectives meaning "having the quality of" or "characterized by": FAMOUS (having fame), NERVOUS (having nerves/anxiety), JOYOUS (full of joy). The -OUS suffix comes from Latin and French and creates some of the most common adjectives in formal and literary English. Many -OUS words also have Latin-root noun counterparts ending in -ION or -ITY.
💡 Scrabble Tip
In Scrabble, -OUS words score moderately because O (1 pt), U (1 pt), S (1 pt) are all cheap tiles. JEALOUS (14 pts using J), ANXIOUS (16 pts using X), CURIOUS (9 pts), and FAMOUS (11 pts using F) are all strong plays. Look for -OUS extensions when you have the O+U+S tiles ready.
Example Words Ending in -OUS
Frequently Asked Questions
What are common words ending in OUS?
Common -OUS words include FAMOUS, NERVOUS, SERIOUS, CURIOUS, JEALOUS, ANXIOUS, DANGEROUS, GORGEOUS, GENEROUS, and HUMOROUS. These adjectives describe qualities or characteristics.
What is the difference between OUS and IOUS?
-OUS and -IOUS both create adjectives, but -IOUS is a more specific form typically used with Latin roots ending in -I: CURIOUS (CURIOSITAS), SERIOUS (SERIŌSUS), RELIGIOUS (RELIGIŌSUS). -OUS is the more general form used with shorter roots: FAMOUS, POROUS, JOYOUS.
What 6-letter words end in OUS?
Valid 6-letter -OUS words include FAMOUS (11 pts), JOYOUS (16 pts), POROUS (8 pts), and DEVOUS (not valid — it's DEVOUT). JOYOUS is particularly strong in Scrabble thanks to the J tile.
How do I convert OUS words to nouns?
Most -OUS adjectives have noun counterparts: FAMOUS → FAME, NERVOUS → NERVE/NERVOUSNESS, CURIOUS → CURIOSITY, GENEROUS → GENEROSITY, DANGEROUS → DANGER/DANGEROUSNESS. The pattern -OUS → -ITY is especially common for Latin-derived words.