Yes. LUAU is a valid word.
LUAU is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
LUAU 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 LUAU
LUAU is a Hawaiian feast, usually with music, dancing and roast pig; its plural is LUAUS. It is one of the few words that uses two U tiles at once, which is a real rescue, since two U tiles on a rack are hard to place. Picture a party on the beach: L-U-A-U, with the U tiles dancing. A traditional luau centers on a pig roasted in an underground oven called an imu, with poi and fresh fish on the side. The Hawaiian word also names the young taro leaves cooked for the feast.
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LUAU scores 4 points
Before any bonus squares: L 1 + U 1 + A 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: LUAU as the first play
Later in the game, put the L on a 3L square and LUAU is worth 6 before any word bonus.
Hooks: one tile makes a new word
After LUAU (1):
- LUAUSform of LUAU: an elaborate Hawaiian feast or party (especially one accompanied by traditional foods and entertainment)
Place that one tile so it also forms a word in the other direction and both words score.
Longer words from LUAU
Other forms of LUAU (1):
- LUAUSform of LUAU: an elaborate Hawaiian feast or party (especially one accompanied by traditional foods and entertainment)
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of LUAU and these are still words:
- LULUa very attractive or seductive looking woman
Same letters, other words
No other word in the list uses exactly the letters L, U, A and U.
Add one tile: words from these letters plus one more
LUAU + S
LUAU + V
- UVULAa small pendant fleshy lobe at the back of the soft palate
Memory tip
LUAU is a Hawaiian feast. Two U tiles and an A.
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.