5 Letter Words Ends with V

Letters in the open positions

Looking at the fourth letter, “A” (5, 29.4%), “N” (3, 17.6%), “U” (3, 17.6%), “E” (2, 11.8%) appear most often. This measures the character immediately before the final letter, rather than the word's first internal letter. Percentages use all 17 matching words as the denominator.

Very few five letter words end in V, and the full set is short enough to list in one place: GANEV, OLLAV, PAREV, SCHAV and SKEEV. They are borrowed mostly from Hebrew, Yiddish and Irish, so none is likely to turn up as an everyday answer, though they matter in Scrabble and other word games that accept extended word lists. Knowing them can rescue a tough rack or a stubborn puzzle.

Useful five-letter words

These are all of them, ordered from the most familiar to the least.

• GANEV
• OLLAV
• PAREV
• SCHAV
• SKEEV

Where These Words Come From

V is an unusual ending in English spelling, which is why these words look unfamiliar. Most entered English from other languages, where a final V is perfectly normal, and many are better known in word games than in everyday writing. Because the pattern is so narrow, the list is easy to memorise.

Using the Pattern in a Puzzle

If green tiles already show V in the last box, you are in rare territory, and it is worth trying one of these words straight away. GANEV and OLLAV are the most familiar to start with. If neither fits, recheck which box each letter sits in, because a swapped position changes the pattern entirely.

Playing V Words in Scrabble

In Scrabble, V is worth four points, so it is a valuable tile, and placing it on a premium square can make a real difference. Words ending in V are hard to find, so learning even one or two of them can give you a play your opponent does not expect.

Common starting letters in words ending in V

The most frequent starting letter is I, appearing in 3 words (17.6%). This shows how the words sharing the V ending are distributed across different beginnings.