Words Ending In OUS
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Counting only the ENABLE word list, 1,201 entries are words that end in OUS. That is about 0.70% of the list. They run from NOUS and SOUS at the short end to PSEUDOPARENCHYMATOUS at the long end. Using commonly used tile values, PSEUDOPARENCHYMATOUS (35 points) scores the most. 128 of them use no letter twice, which matters in games where every tile is separate. Different games use different dictionaries, so check your game's rules before relying on a word.
About the suffix -OUS
The suffix ous forms adjectives meaning “full of” or “having the quality of”: danger, dangerous; fame, famous; joy, joyous. It came into English through French from Latin, and a large share of -ous words were borrowed whole rather than built in English, so many of them have no matching English base word.
That is why the “leave another word” figure on this page is much lower than for -ness or -less. Related endings such as -ious and -eous (various, gorgeous) still end in O-U-S and are counted here, which is one reason the list is longer than you might guess.
For word games, the vowel pair O and U makes -ous a handy way to use those two letters together at the end of a long word, and the letter before it is shown below, since it varies more than you might expect.
At a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Words in this list | 1,201 |
| Share of the ENABLE list shown on this site | 0.70% |
| Longest | PSEUDOPARENCHYMATOUS (20 letters) |
| Shortest | NOUS and SOUS (4 letters) |
| Highest base score (common values) | PSEUDOPARENCHYMATOUS, 35 |
| No repeated letters | 128 |
Most common letter before OUS
| Letter | Words |
|---|---|
| I | 270 |
| R | 228 |
| N | 140 |
| E | 128 |
| L | 105 |
Useful observations
- None of these words is a palindrome (the same backward and forward).
- 213 leave another word when the final
OUSis taken off, for exampleADUNCOUS,ADVANTAGEOUS,ALBUMINOUS,ALUMINOUSandANALOGOUS→ADUNC,ADVANTAGE,ALBUMIN,ALUMINandANALOG. - The most common number of vowels (A, E, I, O, U) is 5, found in 418 of these words.
- The average length is 10.0 letters.
- Before OUS, the letter
Iappears most often (270 words).
All -OUS words
4 letters 2
nous sous
5 letters 3
meous pious thous
6 letters 32
aurous awmous bayous bijous cerous comous cymous famous fucous iodous joyous lupous miaous mucous nodous odious osmous parous pilous porous poyous ramous rimous rufous rugous sajous serous setous torous uveous venous vinous
7 letters 114
acajous acerous acetous acinous adipous aeneous agamous amadous amorous anurous anxious apodous aqueous arduous arenous azygous bilious boubous brumous bulbous bullous burnous cachous callous carious caseous chylous chymous cirrous citrous coccous congous copious cormous coypous cuprous curious devious dubious duteous emulous envious estrous fatuous ferrous fibrous folious fulvous fungous furious fuscous gallous gaseous gibbous globous grumous gummous heinous hideous hugeous hydrous igneous impious jealous leprous luteous nervous nimious niobous nitrous niveous nocuous noxious obvious ochrous odorous ominous onerous osmious osseous ozonous pappous parlous petrous piceous pileous piteous pompous pulpous raucous riotous rubious ruinous sanious sarcous serious simious sinuous spinous spumous talcous tedious tenuous timeous typhous uranous urinous vacuous various vicious villous viscous zealous zincous
8 letters 179
acarpous acaulous aduncous anginous angulous anserous aphthous apterous araceous arborous arsenous arsonous astomous bibulous bigamous bijugous bimanous biparous biramous butyrous caducous canorous captious caribous cautious cernuous chlorous chromous citreous corneous couscous covetous crankous cribrous croupous cumbrous cumulous cupreous decorous desirous dextrous didymous diecious digamous dimerous dioicous dizygous dolorous edacious elytrous enginous enormous epigeous eurokous exiguous eximious fabulous factious fashious fastuous ferreous feverous flexuous frabjous generous glabrous glaucous glorious goitrous gorgeous gracious grievous griseous gypseous hamulous humorous ichorous idoneous imporous infamous lacteous laminous libelous ligneous luminous luscious lustrous manitous marabous melanous mucinous muticous mutinous nacreous nauseous nebulous nodulous nubilous numerous numinous ocherous ochreous oestrous oogamous orgulous patulous perilous pervious petalous plumbous pluvious poaceous polypous populous precious previous pyritous racemous ramulous ravenous resinous rigorous rosinous ructious sabulous sapajous saporous savorous scabious scabrous scarious sclerous sedulous selenous sensuous sepalous setulous sombrous sonorous spacious specious spermous spurious squamous stannous stratous strumous studious suberous thallous timorous tinamous titanous tortious tortuous trappous tuberous tubulous tumorous tumulous turacous ulcerous unctuous unfamous usurious uxorious valorous vanadous vaporous venomous venulous vigorous viperous virtuous vitreous vomitous wamefous wondrous xanthous
9 letters 189
acidulous aluminous ambiguous ambitious amorphous analogous anestrous anhydrous anomalous anonymous apetalous apogamous arboreous arsenious assiduous atrocious audacious barbarous beauteous biogenous bodacious bonhomous bounteous bumptious calculous cancerous cankerous capacious carcajous cavernous cetaceous chancrous chitinous cinereous clamorous cobaltous congruous conscious coumarous courteous crapulous credulous cretinous criminous cutaneous dangerous deciduous delicious delirious dentulous dexterous diclinous diestrous dioecious dipterous edematous egregious epigonous epigynous eponymous erogenous erroneous exogamous exogenous facetious felonious ferocious fistulous fractious frivolous froufrous fructuous fugacious fulgurous garrulous glamorous glutenous glutinous gummatous hazardous hilarious humongous humungous hypogeous imperious impetuous incurious ingenious ingenuous injurious innocuous insidious invidious isogamous judicious kabeljous kinkajous laborious larcenous lecherous libellous lichenous litigious longevous lubricous ludicrous luxurious malarious malicious manganous marvelous meandrous melodious mercurous micaceous momentous monecious monstrous murderous murmurous myomatous nectarous nefarious nonporous notorious oblivious obnoxious officious oviparous palladous pendulous penurious plenteous poisonous pomaceous ponderous pumiceous querulous rancorous rapacious rapturous religious righteous rivalrous rosaceous sagacious salacious saphenous scirrhous sebaceous seditious sericeous setaceous siliceous silicious slumbrous sorcerous sphagnous spiritous strenuous stuporous sulfurous sumptuous susurrous tenacious tendinous tenebrous torturous tremulous trimerous troublous tufaceous tyrannous unanimous uncurious unenvious unserious untimeous vagarious venturous veracious verdurous verminous vexatious vicarious vinaceous vivacious voracious vulturous
10 letters 224
abstemious acephalous adulterous alacritous albuminous alliaceous allogamous amphibious anadromous anasarcous anatropous antonymous aposporous aquiferous arenaceous armigerous auriferous auspicious autoecious autogamous autogenous autologous autonomous autotomous avaricious battailous bituminous blusterous boisterous cadaverous calamitous calcareous caliginous calumnious cancellous capricious censorious ceruminous chivalrous circuitous clangorous coetaneous commodious coniferous contagious contiguous continuous coriaceous courageous curvaceous curvacious decapodous despiteous diadromous diaphanous dimorphous disastrous dispiteous distichous drupaceous eczematous edentulous endogamous endogenous epiphanous ericaceous euphonious extraneous factitious fallacious fastidious felicitous fictitious flagitious foliaceous foraminous fortuitous fuliginous gangrenous gelatinous glamourous gluttonous gramineous gratuitous gregarious gynandrous halogenous harmonious hellacious hemizygous herbaceous homogamous homogenous homologous homonymous homozygous horrendous hypogynous idolatrous impervious incautious incestuous indecorous indigenous infectious inglorious iniquitous innumerous keratinous languorous lanuginous lascivious leguminous libidinous licentious lipomatous loquacious lubricious luciferous lugubrious malodorous marvellous membranous mendacious meticulous migrainous miraculous monestrous monoecious monogamous monogynous monotonous mysterious myxomatous nidicolous nidifugous nonaqueous nonferrous nongaseous nonobvious nonserious nonviscous nutritious obsequious oleaginous olivaceous omnivorous outrageous paronymous pediculous pellagrous perfidious perigynous perjurious pernicious plunderous polygamous polygynous polysemous portentous posthumous precarious precocious predaceous predacious prodigious propitious prosperous pugnacious rampageous rebellious rendezvous ridiculous robustious roisterous salubrious saxicolous scandalous scrofulous scrupulous scurrilous sequacious serotinous sinistrous slanderous slumberous solicitous spirituous splendrous stertorous stridulous struthious stupendous subaqueous sulphurous suspicious syncarpous synonymous tendrilous tenebrious testaceous theonomous thunderous traitorous treasonous tremendous trichinous tuffaceous tumultuous ubiquitous umbrageous ungenerous ungracious unhumorous uproarious victorious villainous violaceous viraginous viviparous vociferous voluminous voluptuous zoophilous
11 letters 161
abstentious acrimonious adenomatous adventurous anachronous androgynous anfractuous angiomatous anisogamous arenicolous atrabilious blasphemous burglarious cacophonous calcicolous calciferous calcifugous callipygous carnivorous catadromous cataractous ceremonious champertous collagenous compendious congenerous conspicuous contentious contrarious coterminous cruciferous crustaceous cupriferous declivitous deleterious diadelphous dichogamous dichotomous dissentious duplicitous efficacious expeditious fantabulous farinaceous farraginous ferriferous ferruginous fibromatous filamentous fissiparous flirtatious floriferous frugivorous granivorous gypsiferous hemipterous herbivorous homogeneous homophonous homopterous homosporous hydrogenous ignominious illustrious impecunious incongruous incredulous industrious injudicious intravenous irreligious isochronous isomorphous lactiferous lepromatous ligamentous magnanimous mellifluous meritorious microporous mischievous monophagous mountainous multiparous mycophagous myelogenous myelomatous necessitous nitrogenous nonluminous nonsensuous nonvenomous nulliparous odoriferous omnifarious opprobrious overanxious overobvious overserious overzealous pentamerous perspicuous pestiferous phosphorous piscivorous polyandrous polyestrous polyonymous polyphagous polyphonous precipitous prestigious pretentious primiparous prognathous promiscuous punctilious repetitious rhizomatous rumbustious sanguineous saponaceous sarcomatous scoriaceous scrumptious sententious serpiginous solanaceous somniferous splendorous spontaneous sporogenous sulphureous superfluous sympetalous symphonious synchronous tautologous temerarious tempestuous tendencious tendentious terraqueous terricolous terrigenous tetramerous treacherous triquetrous tuberculous unambiguous unambitious unconscious unfrivolous unglamorous unmalicious unmelodious unreligious unrighteous vertiginous xerophilous xylophagous
12 letters 132
adscititious advantageous adventitious altitudinous ambidextrous amentiferous anemophilous anthophilous argillaceous ascomycetous asynchronous atheromatous cantankerous carbonaceous cementitious circumfluous coleopterous collembolous complicitous compunctious contemptuous conterminous contumacious contumelious coprophagous coprophilous cryptogamous diatomaceous discourteous disingenuous disputatious erythematous eurythermous gallinaceous gametogenous gamopetalous hebetudinous heliolatrous hematogenous heteroecious heterogamous heterogenous heterologous heteronomous heterozygous hygrophilous impetiginous inauspicious incommodious infelicitous inharmonious insalubrious luminiferous lymphomatous macropterous meretricious mesophyllous microsporous microvillous monadelphous mucilaginous multifarious mycetomatous myxedematous necrophagous neuropterous nonambiguous noncancerous nonconscious nonfrivolous nonglamorous nonhazardous nonpoisonous nonreligious nonunanimous obstreperous oleoresinous oligophagous orchidaceous orthotropous ostentatious overcautious overgenerous parsimonious pectinaceous percutaneous peritrichous pertinacious phytophagous polymorphous polypetalous polystichous porcelaneous precancerous preconscious preposterous presumptuous pseudonymous quadrumanous rambunctious sacrilegious salutiferous saprophagous schizogonous seleniferous semilustrous seminiferous semiprecious simultaneous slaughterous soporiferous steatopygous subconscious subcutaneous succedaneous sudoriferous supercilious suppositious titaniferous transpicuous trichotomous ultraserious uncensorious unchivalrous uncourageous unfastidious unpropitious unprosperous unscrupulous unsuspicious vainglorious viruliferous
13 letters 101
angiospermous antireligious argentiferous arteriovenous autocephalous autochthonous bibliolatrous brachypterous camphoraceous carboniferous carcinomatous cartilaginous cavernicolous cleistogamous condylomatous conscientious consentaneous diathermanous discontinuous disharmonious emphysematous enterocoelous entomophagous entomophilous exanthematous fossiliferous garnetiferous graminivorous granulomatous gymnospermous hematophagous heterocystous heterogeneous heteropterous heterosporous hymenopterous hypercautious inconspicuous inefficacious inhomogeneous insectivorous instantaneous lepidopterous medicamentous metalliferous microphyllous miscellaneous mucocutaneous multitudinous mycetophagous nickeliferous nonautonomous noncontagious noncontiguous noncontinuous nongregarious nonhomologous nonindigenous noninfectious nonleguminous nonmonogamous nonnutritious overambitious overconscious overcredulous overingenious ovoviviparous papillomatous perspicacious phycomycetous platitudinous plenitudinous polychotomous porcellaneous prolegomenous proteinaceous pusillanimous rectitudinous sanctimonious semiconscious semireligious serendipitous splendiferous stercoraceous stoloniferous subbituminous subcoriaceous subreptitious subterraneous supercautious superstitious surreptitious tetradynamous thermophilous ultracautious umbelliferous unadventurous unceremonious uncontentious unpretentious zygodactylous
14 letters 39
actinomycetous campylotropous chlorophyllous consanguineous contradictious diamondiferous dicotyledonous extemporaneous geosynchronous hemimetabolous heterophyllous holometabolous hyperconscious ichthyophagous interreligious intracutaneous multireligious myrmecophilous nonfilamentous nonhomogeneous nonnitrogenous nonsynchronous overfastidious overscrupulous oversolicitous oversuspicious pachydermatous papilionaceous parenchymatous pseudomorphous semiautonomous socioreligious superambitious superluxurious supposititious transcutaneous ultraglamorous ultrahazardous unostentatious
15 letters 17
anthropophagous antituberculous basidiomycetous collenchymatous contemporaneous deuteranomalous disadvantageous echinodermatous enantiomorphous epitheliomatous excrementitious hyperfastidious nonsimultaneous pulchritudinous ultrafastidious unfossiliferous vicissitudinous
16 letters 2
monocotyledonous sclerenchymatous
17 letters 2
organophosphorous overconscientious
18 letters 3
adenocarcinomatous microlepidopterous verisimilitudinous
20 letters 1
pseudoparenchymatous
Using these words
To find words ending in OUS from your own letters, use the Word Unscrambler with OUS in Ends with, or try a pattern such as ???OUS in the Crossword Solver. Words come from the open ENABLE word list. Different games use different dictionaries, so always check the rules of your game.