bow
To bend the head or body forward; also, a knot with loops, or a weapon for shooting arrows.
Origin: Old English būgan (to bend) and boga
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
HomeWord endingsW
WORD ENDINGS · W
Words ending
in W.
2- and 3-letter words
cow
A large female farm animal kept for milk.
Origin: Old English cū
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
dew
Small drops of water that form on grass and leaves overnight.
Origin: Old English dēaw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
few
Not many.
Origin: Old English fēawa
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
how
In what way.
Origin: Old English hū
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
jaw
Either of the two bones that hold the teeth and form the mouth.
Origin:
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
law
A rule made by a government that everyone must follow.
Origin: Old English lagu
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
new
Not old; recently made, bought or discovered.
Origin: Old English nīowe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
paw
The foot of an animal such as a cat or dog.
Origin: Anglo-French powe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
raw
Not cooked; also, sore, as raw skin.
Origin: Old English hrēaw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
saw
A tool with a toothed blade for cutting wood; also, the past tense of see.
Origin: Old English sagu
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
sew
To join pieces of cloth with a needle and thread.
Origin: Old English sīwian
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
4-letter words
brew
To make tea, coffee or beer by mixing with water.
Origin: Old English brēowan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
chew
To crush food with the teeth.
Origin: Old English cēowan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
claw
A sharp, curved nail on an animal's foot.
Origin: Old English clawu
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
crew
The people who work together on a ship, plane or project.
Origin: Middle French creue (reinforcement)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
crow
A large black bird with a harsh call; also, to make the loud cry of a rooster.
Origin: Old English crāwa
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
draw
To make a picture with a pencil, pen or crayon; also, to pull.
Origin: Old English dragan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
flow
To move along smoothly, as water does in a river.
Origin: Old English flōwan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
glow
To shine with a steady, warm light, often without a flame.
Origin: Old English glōwan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
gnaw
To bite or chew on something again and again; the g is silent.
Origin: Old English gnagan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
grow
To get bigger; also, to make plants come up.
Origin: Old English grōwan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
know
To have facts or information in your mind; the k is silent.
Origin: Old English cnāwan
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
show
To let someone see something; also, a performance.
Origin: Old English scēawian (to look at)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
snow
Small white flakes of frozen water that fall from the sky.
Origin: Old English snāw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
view
What you can see from a place; also, an opinion.
Origin: Anglo-French, from veoir (to see)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
5-letter words
allow
To let someone do something.
Origin: Anglo-French allouer
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
arrow
A thin stick with a point, shot from a bow; also, a sign that shows a direction.
Origin: Old English earh
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
askew
Crooked; not straight.
Origin:
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
below
Lower than; under.
Origin:
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
bylaw
A rule made by a club or organization for its members.
Origin: Middle English bilawe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
elbow
The joint in the middle of the arm, where it bends.
Origin: Old English elboga
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
endow
To give money or property to a school or other group; also, to provide with a quality.
Origin: Anglo-French endouer
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
macaw
A large, brightly colored parrot from Central and South America.
Origin: Portuguese macao
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
renew
To make something new or fresh again; also, to extend, as a library book.
Origin: re- + new
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
screw
A metal pin with a spiral ridge that is turned to fasten things.
Origin:
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
shrew
A very small animal like a mouse, with a long pointed nose.
Origin: Old English scrēawa
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
sinew
A tendon, the strong band that joins a muscle to a bone.
Origin: Old English seono
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
straw
Dried stalks of grain; also, a thin tube for drinking.
Origin: Old English strēaw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
strew
To scatter things over a surface.
Origin: Old English strēowian
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
threw
The past tense of throw.
Origin:
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
throw
To send something through the air with a movement of the arm.
Origin: Old English thrāwan (to twist)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
widow
A woman whose husband or partner has died.
Origin: Old English wuduwe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
6-letter words
borrow
To take something that you will give back later.
Origin: Old English borgian
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
cashew
A curved nut from a tropical tree.
Origin: Portuguese caju, from Tupi
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
curfew
A rule that people must be indoors by a certain time.
Origin: Anglo-French coverfeu (cover the fire)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
follow
To go or come after someone or something.
Origin: Old English folgian
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
jigsaw
A saw with a narrow blade for cutting curved shapes; also, a jigsaw puzzle.
Origin: jig + saw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
meadow
A field of grass and wildflowers.
Origin: Middle English medwe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
mildew
A thin white or gray growth of fungus on damp things.
Origin: Old English meledēaw (honeydew)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
nephew
The son of your brother or sister.
Origin: Anglo-French nevou, from Latin nepos
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
pillow
A soft cushion for your head in bed.
Origin: Old English pyle
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
shadow
A dark shape made when something blocks light.
Origin: Old English sceadu (shade)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
window
An opening in a wall, usually with glass, that lets in light and air.
Origin: Old Norse vindauga (wind eye)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
yellow
The color of lemons and butter.
Origin: Old English geolu
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
7 letters or more
bungalow
A small house with all its rooms on one floor.
Origin: Hindi and Urdu banglā (in the Bengal style)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
chainsaw
A power saw with teeth on a moving chain.
Origin: chain + saw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
corkscrew
A tool with a spiral point for pulling corks out of bottles.
Origin: cork + screw
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
eyebrow
The line of hair above each eye.
Origin: eye + brow
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
interview
A meeting where someone is asked questions, as for a job.
Origin: Anglo-French entreveue (meeting)
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
marshmallow
A soft, spongy white candy; also, a marsh plant whose root was once used to make it.
Origin: Old English merscmealwe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
overflow
To flow over the edge of something.
Origin: over + flow
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
rainbow
An arc of colors in the sky, made when sunlight shines through raindrops.
Origin: rain + bow
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
scarecrow
A figure dressed in old clothes to scare birds away from crops.
Origin: scare + crow
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
sparrow
A small brown bird.
Origin: Old English spearwa
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
swallow
To make food or drink go down the throat; also, a fast-flying bird.
Origin: Old English swelgan and swealwe
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
tomorrow
The day after today.
Origin: Old English tō morgen
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
wheelbarrow
A small cart with one wheel and two handles, for carrying loads.
Origin: wheel + barrow
Source: Merriam-Webster, checked 2026-11-04
Counts and validity refer to the ENABLE2K word list (public domain), not to every dictionary or word game. Other dictionaries list more borrowed words. Meanings are written for this site and checked against Merriam-Webster; spellings marked “not in Merriam-Webster” come from ENABLE2K only. How we choose words ↗