Yes. LIEU is a valid word.
LIEU is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
LIEU 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 LIEU
LIEU means place or stead, used in the phrase in lieu of, meaning instead of; its plural is LIEUS. It comes from French. LIEU clears an I, an E and a U with a single L. Since the U is so often the hardest vowel to place, LIEU is a word worth having ready.
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LIEU scores 4 points
Before any bonus squares: L 1 + I 1 + E 1 + U 1 = 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: LIEU as the first play
Later in the game, put the L on a 3L square and LIEU is worth 6 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
After LIEU (1):
- LIEUSform of LIEU: the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from LIEU
Other forms of LIEU (1):
- LIEUSform of LIEU: the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another
Words that start with LIEU:
- LIEUTENANTa commissioned military officer
- LIEUTENANCYthe position of a lieutenant
- LIEUTENANTSform of LIEUTENANT: a commissioned military officer
- LIEUTENANCIESform of LIEUTENANCY: the position of a lieutenant
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of LIEU and these are still words:
Same letters, other words
Memory tip
LIEU means place or instead, as in “in lieu of”. Three vowels after an L.
On these lists
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.
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.