Yes. PAX is a valid word.
PAX is valid in the North American word list used for the Scrabble board game and other crossword tile games.
PAX 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 PAX
PAX is the Latin word for peace, and in church use it is also a small tablet once kissed by the priest and the people at Mass; its plural is PAXES. With the P and the X it is worth 12 before bonuses. The Pax Romana was the long peace across the Roman Empire under Augustus and the emperors after him. In play, PAX is a short, solid home for the X, and its P adds three more points, so a letter bonus under the X can turn it into a big score.
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PAX scores 12 points
Before any bonus squares: P 3 + A 1 + X 8 = 12. On a double-word square that's 24, on a triple-word 36, and every letter bonus under one of these tiles is applied first.
Example: PAX as the first play
Later in the game, put the X on a 3L square and PAX is worth 28 before any word bonus.
Longer words from PAX
Change one tile
Swap any one letter of PAX and these are still words:
- FAXto transmit and reproduce by electronic means
- LAXa vowel articulated with relatively relaxed muscles; not strict or stringent
- MAXto reach the upper limit
- RAXto stretch out
- SAXa saxophone
- TAXto place a charge imposed by authority for public purposes on
- VAXto vaccinate
- WAXto coat with a natural, heat-sensitive substance
Same letters, other words
No other word in the list uses exactly the letters P, A and X.
Add one tile: words from these letters plus one more
PAX + E
- APEXthe highest point (of something)
Memory tip
PAX is peace, from Latin, and also a tablet kissed during Mass. Picture a peace sign with an X.
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.