Yes. AB is a valid word.
AB is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
AB is in the NASPA Word List 2023 (NWL2023), the North American list that Tileside uses for challenges and the one used in club and tournament play.
About AB
Gym talk gave the word list AB and ABS, short for the abdominal muscles. Put a B on a letter bonus where AB runs one way and BA runs the other, and the same B scores in both words.
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AB scores 4 points
Before any bonus squares: A 1 + B 3 = 4. On a double-word square that's 8, on a triple-word 12, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: AB as the first play
Later in the game, put the B on a 3L square and AB is worth 10 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
In front of AB (11):
- CABa compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
- DABapply (usually a liquid) to a surface
- FABextremely pleasing
- GABlight informal conversation for social occasions
- JABto poke sharply
- KAB
- LABa workplace for the conduct of scientific research
- NABtag the base runner to get him out
After AB (3):
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from AB
Other forms of AB (1):
- ABSform of AB: the muscles of the abdomen
Words that start with AB:
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of AB and these are still words:
Same letters, other words
Memory tip
AB is short for an abdominal muscle, as in “working on my abs”. Flip it and you get BA, the Egyptian soul, so one pair of tiles makes two words.
On these lists
Other two-letter words starting with A
Check words at the table, free
Tileside keeps score, checks words like this one during a challenge, tracks the tiles left in the bag and times turns. It runs in your phone's browser with no account and works offline.
Tileside checks words against the North American list, the NASPA Word List 2023. Your group's chosen dictionary always wins. Playing the international (Collins) list? Turn on its 20 extra two-letter words in Setup.
Word list: NASPA Word List 2023, used under license. NASPA Word List 2023 Edition © NASPA 2023. The copy included in this app is licensed for personal use. You may not use it for any commercial purposes.
Works with the Scrabble board game, played at the table. Tileside is an independent product, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of Scrabble.