Ending in -a

[Mister_RogersAWC]

If this ranks up there with the gry question, I apologize, but I've really been thinking hard about it.

Are there any words in the English language that end in -a?

(Latin words don't count because they are...LATIN)

------------------
"No job's too small, we bomb them all."
-Ace Wrecking Company

[Gaudere]

How about "tea"? Can't get more English than that. ;) I can think of a couple more English words off the top of my head: aura, charisma... do you want ones with a purely English etymology? How about "bra"? First showed up written in English in '36.

------------------
"Eppur, si muove!" - Galileo Galilei

[BobT]

I believe the obvious one is "a".
But finding words that end in "-a",
now there's a dilemma.

[astorian]

Even if you won't accept words that come from Latin (why not?), there are plenty. Just in the animal kingdom alone, there are:

flea, cobra, anaconda, zebra, panda, barracuda, koala

Or, if you're hungry, we have:

pizza, banana, papaya, pasta

Now, most of these words came from other languages, but at least it wasn't Latin!

[Persephone]

"flea"
"pea"
"patina"
"era"
"erotica"
"cathedra"
"silica"
"hoopla"
"cornea"
"corona"

There's lots more, really. I just opened my Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary & started picking words at random.

[Johnny Angel]

Mister_RogersAWC:

First, let's get rid of all the words from the Latin in your post, then tell me whether they count:

If this ranks __ there with the gry ________, I _________, but I've ______ been ________ hard about it.

Are there any _____ __ the English ________ that end in -a?

(_____ _____ don't _____ because they are..._____)

------------------
"No job's too small, we ____ them all."
-___ Wrecking _______

According to the most recent Scrabble dictionary, there are 2880 words (between 2-15 letters long) that end in -A. They are as follows:

AA
ABA
ABACA
ABAKA
ABASIA
ABBA
ABDOMINA
ABELIA
ABOLLA
ABOMA
ABOMASA
ABOULIA
ABRACADABRA
ABRACHIA
ABROSIA
ABSCISSA
ABULIA
ACACIA
ACADEMIA
ACAPNIA
ACCIACCATURA
ACCIDIA
ACEDIA
ACELDAMA
ACEQUIA
ACEROLA
ACETA
ACETABULA
ACHALASIA
ACHILLEA
ACHLORHYDRIA
ACHOLIA
ACHONDROPLASIA
ACICULA
ACIDEMIA
ACIDURIA
ACRASIA
ACROMIA
ACROPHOBIA
ACTA
ACTINIA
ADDENDA
ADENOCARCINOMA
ADENOMA
ADENOMATA
ADNEXA
ADULARIA
ADVENTITIA
ADYNAMIA
ADYTA
AECIA
AECIDIA
AERENCHYMA
AERENCHYMATA
AEROBIA
AFICIONADA
AFTOSA
AGA
AGAMA
AGENDA
AGENESIA
AGHA
AGMA
AGNOMINA
AGNOSIA
AGORA
AGORAPHOBIA
AGRAPHA
AGRAPHIA
AGRIA
AGRYPNIA
AHA
AHIMSA
AILUROPHOBIA
AJIVA
AJUGA
AKELA
ALA
ALAMEDA
ALASKA
ALBA
ALBATA
ALBIZIA
ALBIZZIA
ALBUMINURIA
ALEXIA
ALFA
ALFALFA
ALFILARIA
ALFORJA
ALGA
ALGAROBA
ALGARROBA
ALGEBRA
ALGOLAGNIA
ALIYA
ALLELUIA
ALLODIA
ALLUVIA
ALMA
ALODIA
ALOHA
ALOPECIA
ALPACA
ALPHA
ALTHAEA
ALTHEA
ALULA
ALUMINA
ALUMNA
AMA
AMANITA
AMARNA
AMBERINA
AMBLYOPIA
AMBOINA
AMBOYNA
AMBROSIA
AMBULACRA
AMEBA
AMENORRHEA
AMENTIA
AMETROPIA
AMIA
AMIGA
AMINOACIDURIA
AMMONIA
AMNESIA
AMNIA
AMOEBA
AMPHIBIA
AMPHISBAENA
AMPHORA
AMPULLA
AMREETA
AMRITA
AMUSIA
AMYGDALA
AMYOTONIA
ANA
ANABAENA
ANACOLUTHA
ANACONDA
ANAEMIA
ANAESTHESIA
ANALECTA
ANALEMMA
ANALEMMATA
ANALGESIA
ANALGIA
ANAPHORA
ANAPLASIA
ANASARCA
ANATHEMA
ANATHEMATA
ANCHOVETA
ANCHOVETTA
ANCHUSA
ANCILLA
ANDROECIA
ANDROMEDA
ANECDOTA
ANEMIA
ANERGIA
ANESTHESIA
ANGA
ANGARIA
ANGELICA
ANGINA
ANGIOMA
ANGIOMATA
ANGORA
ANHEDONIA
ANHINGA
ANIMA
ANIMALCULA
ANISEIKONIA
ANISOMETROPIA
ANNA
ANOA
ANOOPSIA
ANOPIA
ANOPSIA
ANOREXIA
ANOSMIA
ANOXEMIA
ANOXIA
ANSA
ANTA
ANTEFIXA
ANTENNA
ANTEPENDIA
ANTEPENULTIMA
ANTHELIA
ANTHEMIA
ANTHERIDIA
ANTHODIA
ANTIANEMIA
ANTIASTHMA
ANTIDORA
ANTIGUERRILLA
ANTIMALARIA
ANTIMARIJUANA
ANTINAUSEA
ANTISERA
ANTONOMASIA
ANTRA
ANURIA
AORTA
APHAGIA
APHASIA
APHELIA
APHONIA
APHTHA
APIMANIA
APLASIA
APNEA
APNOEA
APOCRYPHA
APOLOGIA
APOTHECIA
APPOGGIATURA
APPRESSORIA
APRAXIA
APTERIA
AQUA
AQUARIA
AQUILEGIA
ARABICA
ARAPAIMA
ARAROBA
ARAUCARIA
ARBORETA
ARCADIA
ARCANA
ARCHAEBACTERIA
ARCHEGONIA
ARCHESPORIA
AREA
ARECA
ARENA
AREOLA
ARETHUSA
ARGALA
ARGUMENTA
ARIA
ARIETTA
ARISTA
ARMADA
ARMAMENTARIA
ARMILLA
ARMONICA
ARNICA
AROMA
ARRHYTHMIA
ARROBA
ARTEMISIA
ARTHRALGIA
ARUGOLA
ARUGULA
ARYTHMIA
ASAFETIDA
ASAFOETIDA
ASANA
ASCIDIA
ASCOGONIA
ASEA
ASPERGILLA
ASPHYXIA
ASPIDISTRA
ASPIRATA
ASRAMA
ASTASIA
ASTERIA
ASTHENIA
ASTHMA
ASTIGMIA
ASTROCYTOMA
ASTROCYTOMATA
ASYLA
ASYNDETA
ATALAYA
ATARAXIA
ATAXIA
ATEMOYA
ATHEROMA
ATHEROMATA
ATMA
ATRESIA
ATRIA
ATROPHIA
AUBRETIA
AUBRIETA
AUCUBA
AUDITORIA
AURA
AUREOLA
AURICULA
AURORA
AUTOMATA
AUTOSTRADA
AVA
AVIFAUNA
AWA
AXILLA
AYAHUASCA
AYURVEDA
AZALEA
AZOOSPERMIA
AZOTEMIA
AZOTURIA
BA
BAA
BABA
BABESIA
BABIRUSA
BABKA
BABUSHKA
BACCA
BACCARA
BACCHANALIA
BACTEREMIA
BACTERIA
BACTERIURIA
BACULA
BAIDARKA
BAIZA
BAKLAVA
BAKLAWA
BALACLAVA
BALALAIKA
BALATA
BALBOA
BALLERINA
BALLETOMANIA
BALLISTA
BALSA
BANANA
BANDANA
BANDANNA
BANDERILLA
BANDORA
BANKSIA
BAPTISIA
BARATHEA
BARILLA
BARRACOUTA
BARRACUDA
BARRAMUNDA
BARRANCA
BARYTA
BASIDIA
BASILICA
BASOPHILIA
BATTALIA
BAUHINIA
BAZOOKA
BEDSONIA
BEFLEA
BEGONIA
BEGORRA
BELGA
BELLADONNA
BELUGA
BEMA
BEMATA
BERETTA
BERRETTA
BERTHA
BETA
BETHESDA
BETTA
BHAKTA
BIBLIOMANIA
BIBLIOTHECA
BIDARKA
BIENNIA
BIGNONIA
BILBOA
BILHARZIA
BIMA
BIOTA
BIRETTA
BIRRETTA
BISNAGA
BIZNAGA
BLASTEMA
BLASTEMATA
BLASTOMA
BLASTOMATA
BLASTULA
BOA
BOCCIA
BODDHISATTVA
BODEGA
BODHISATTVA
BOFFOLA
BOHEA
BOHEMIA
BOLA
BOLIVIA
BOLOGNA
BOLTONIA
BONANZA
BONITA
BORA
BOTA
BOTANICA
BOTHRIA
BOUGAINVILLAEA
BOUGAINVILLEA
BOUSOUKIA
BOUZOUKIA
BOYLA
BRA
BRACHIA
BRACIOLA
BRADYCARDIA
BRAHMA
BRANCHIA
BRASSICA
BRAVA
BRAVURA
BRAZA
BRECCIA
BREGMA
BREGMATA
BRITSKA
BRITZKA
BRITZSKA
BRONCHIA
BROUHAHA
BRUCELLA
BUBINGA
BUCKRA
BUDDLEIA
BUGSHA
BULIMIA
BULLA
BUNYA
BUQSHA
BURA
BURSA
BURSERA
BUSHWA
BUZUKIA
BWANA
CABALA
CABALETTA
CABANA
CABBALA
CABOMBA
CABRESTA
CABRETTA
CABRILLA
CACA
CACHEXIA
CACHUCHA
CADENZA
CAECA
CAEOMA
CAESURA
CAFETERIA
CALCANEA
CALCARIA
CALCTUFA
CALDARIA
CALDERA
CALENDULA
CALESA
CALISAYA
CALLA
CALVARIA
CALYPTRA
CAMARILLA
CAMBIA
CAMBOGIA
CAMELIA
CAMELLIA
CAMERA
CAMISA
CAMISIA
CAMORRA
CAMORRISTA
CAMPAGNA
CAMPANULA
CANASTA
CANCHA
CANDELA
CANDELABRA
CANDIDA
CANELLA
CANNA
CANNULA
CANOLA
CANTALA
CANTATA
CANTILENA
CANTINA
CANULA
CANZONA
CAPITA
CAPITULA
CAPONATA
CAPYBARA
CARACARA
CARAGANA
CARAMBA
CARAMBOLA
CARBONARA
CARBORA
CARCINOMA
CARCINOMATA
CARCINOSARCOMA
CARDIA
CARINA
CARIOCA
CARNAUBA
CARNIVORA
CARPALIA
CARPOGONIA
CASA
CASABA
CASAVA
CASCARA
CASCARILLA
CASITA
CASSABA
CASSATA
CASSAVA
CASSIA
CASUARINA
CATALPA
CATAMENIA
CATAPHORA
CATATONIA
CATAWBA
CATENA
CATHEDRA
CATTLEYA
CAUSALGIA
CAVALLA
CAVATINA
CECA
CEDILLA
CEDULA
CEIBA
CELESTA
CELLA
CELOMATA
CELOSIA
CEMENTA
CENTAUREA
CENTRA
CERCARIA
CEREBELLA
CEREBRA
CERIA
CESTA
CESURA
CHACMA
CHAETA
CHAKRA
CHALAZA
CHALAZIA
CHALLA
CHAQUETA
CHARISMA
CHARISMATA
CHARKA
CHARKHA
CHATCHKA
CHAULMOOGRA
CHAUTAUQUA
CHELA
CHELICERA
CHERIMOYA
CHIA
CHIASMA
CHIASMATA
CHICKPEA
CHIMAERA
CHIMERA
CHIMICHANGA
CHIMLA
CHINA
CHINCHILLA
CHIONODOXA
CHIRIMOYA
CHLAMYDIA
CHLOASMA
CHLOASMATA
CHLORELLA
CHLORENCHYMA
CHLORENCHYMATA
CHOANA
CHOLERA
CHOLLA
CHONDROCRANIA
CHOREA
CHORIOCARCINOMA
CHRISMA
CHRISTIANIA
CHROMA
CHROMONEMA
CHROMONEMATA
CHUCKAWALLA
CHUCKWALLA
CHUFA
CHUKKA
CHUTZPA
CIBORIA
CICADA
CICALA
CIGUATERA
CILIA
CINCHONA
CINEMA
CINERARIA
CINGULA
CIRCA
CISTERNA
CITHARA
CITOLA
CITRONELLA
CLADOPHYLLA
CLARKIA
CLAUSTRA
CLAUSTROPHOBIA
CLEPSYDRA
CLINTONIA
CLITELLA
CLIVIA
CLOACA
CLOSTRIDIA
COAGULA
COALA
COBIA
COBRA
COCA
COCCIDIA
COCHLEA
COCINERA
COCOA
COCOBOLA
CODA
CODEIA
CODEINA
COELENTERA
COELOMATA
COGNOMINA
COLA
COLEOPTERA
COLEORHIZA
COLLECTANEA
COLLEGIA
COLLENCHYMA
COLLENCHYMATA
COLLOQUIA
COLLUVIA
COLLYRIA
COLOBOMA
COLOBOMATA
COLORATURA
COLUMBARIA
COLUMELLA
COLZA
COMA
COMATULA
COMITIA
COMMA
COMMATA
COMPENDIA
COMPUTERPHOBIA
CONCERTINA
CONCHA
CONDYLOMA
CONDYLOMATA
CONFERVA
CONGA
CONIDIA
CONJUNCTIVA
CONSORTIA
CONTAGIA
CONTINUA
CONTRA
COPAIBA
COPPRA
COPRA
COPREMIA
COPROPHILIA
COPULA
COQUINA
CORBICULA
CORBINA
CORDILLERA
CO

[GuanoLad]

No doubt about it, he lives up to his username whenever he can.

[C K Dexter Haven]

... proving again that just because something CAN be done, doesn't mean it SHOULD be done.

[Satan]

Hey... All I did was my bit towards ignorance elimination. Unappreciative fuckers...

:)

[Atrael]

I thought it was funny as hell Satan....

[Persephone]

According to the most recent Scrabble dictionary, there are 2880 words (between 2-15 letters long) that end in -A.

That's the reason why I put my OSPD down, Satan! Yoinks!

[kellibelli]

Please tell us you didnt have to type those all out yourself!

It was pretty funny!

[John W. Kennedy]

For what it's worth, though, virtually all those words are not of Anglo-Saxon origin. In fact, I didn't, in a quick scan, see a single one that was neither foreign nor of the "pea/flea" variety, apart from "a", "ma", and "pa" and relations.

Old English had lots of words ending in -a, though.

------------------
John W. Kennedy
"Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays."
-- Charles Williams

[BoBettie]

Satan,
Good one... :)

------------------
Some mornings it just doesn't seem worth it to gnaw through the leather straps.
Emo Philips (stolen from matt's webpage)

OK, Satan, here's one for you:
How many verses in the bible (KJV) contain the word "the"?

I once saw a "complete bible concordance" that listed them.

------------------
Jacques Kilchoer
Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.

[WallyM7]

Satan, one of the words has a typo.

[Nickrz]

All I can say is "I'll be dipped in shit." :)

[Diceman]

Satan has WAY, WAY, WAY too much time on his hands.

Anyone disagree? .......................
......................................


................ No one?

Didn't think so.

------------------
"I had a feeling that in Hell there would be mushrooms." -The Secret of Monkey Island

[Markxxx]

To all those people pickin' on Satan. Come on guys, don't you have a scroll key on your computer. I have it on my cheap old WebTV. :)

[Whammo]

satan has powers.... and have you seen his pic???? looks just like Jesus too!!!!! haha :)

------------------
The wisest man I ever knew taught me something I never forgot. And although I never forgot it, I never quite memorized it either. So what I'm left with is the memory of having learned
something very wise that I can't quite remember. -George Carlin

[ChiefScott]

Thanks, Satan, for totally screwing up my server. You are truly the Dark Prince.

[Temujin]

BTW, are there any words in the English language that end in -b? (Words like "blab" don't count, because they are ...)
Oh, never mind ...

[NanoByte]

Well, luckily, someone listed 'zebra' in an earlier post, which flagged me to use my browser's 'Find' to jump to 'zebra' in Satan's list. First time I ever found any use for that animal.

I think Satan is just trying to prove there are worse things than those who read fiction. . .i.e., those who play scrabble. ;)

Maybe JWK could inform us as to how come there are so few native words in Modern English ending in '-a', in spite of the fact there were "lots" in Old English, as he says. Were there generic shifts that substituted the '-a's out, or what were the mechanisms -- loss of tenses or declensions? An effect from the pronunciation of French?

'Sea', 'lea' 'plea' (well, originally Latin) 'yea' are four others in the 'tea', 'pea', 'flea' series. 'Tea', however, isn't native English, of course. Like the tea itself, the English had to get the word from overseas.

I guess 'ha' and 'aha' (no etymology given in my dictionary) would be considered an international expression standardized by and from direct, uncoded neural reaction.

How 'bout 'gotta', 'lotta', 'hasta', 'wanna', 'gonna', 'gotcha', 'betcha', mighta', 'woulda', 'coulda', 'shoulda' ?

Ray

[Satan]

I WISH I had more time on my hands. I have a Scrabble CD-ROM called Frances which is designed for "serious Scrabble players." It makes custom word lists by setting parameters. In this case, I simply typed in 15 tiles (the most possible in Scrabble) and hit *A which tells it any number of letters ending in A.

I'll work on the "Words ending in -B" list when I get home tonight, since the CD is at home. ;)

[rjk]

Too bad Satan's list wasn't a song lyric.

Then an admin could edit it out for copyright ...

:D


------------------
Bob the Random Expert
"If we don't have the answer, we'll make one up."

[Satan]

As promised, words ending in B! Only 243 such words, so I hope this isn't a server-buster, kiddies:

AB
ABSORB
ACERB
ADSORB
ADVERB
ALB
ANTISNOB
APLOMB
ARB
ARDEB
BACKSTAB
BAOBAB
BARB
BATHTUB
BEACHCOMB
BEDAUB
BEDUMB
BENUMB
BIB
BIBB
BICARB
BLAB
BLEB
BLOB
BLOWJOB
BLUB
BLURB
BOB
BOMB
BOOB
BUB
BULB
CAB
CABOB
CARB
CAROB
CATACOMB
CELEB
CHEMISORB
CHERUB
CHIMB
CHORIAMB
CHUB
CLIMB
CLOMB
CLUB
COB
COBB
COBWEB
COCKSCOMB
COMB
CONFAB
COOMB
CORNCOB
CORNCRIB
CORYMB
COULOMB
COWHERB
COXCOMB
CRAB
CRIB
CRUMB
CUB
CUBEB
CURB
CURRYCOMB
DAB
DARB
DAUB
DEB
DEMOB
DESORB
DIB
DISTURB
DITHYRAMB
DIVEBOMB
DOORJAMB
DOORKNOB
DRAB
DRIB
DRUB
DUB
DUMB
DWEEB
EBB
ENTOMB
ENWOMB
EXURB
FIB
FIREBOMB
FLAB
FLASHBULB
FLUB
FLUBDUB
FOB
FORB
FORELIMB
FUB
GAB
GAMB
GARB
GIB
GLIB
GLOB
GOB
GRAB
GRUB
HABOOB
HEARTTHROB
HECATOMB
HERB
HOB
HOBNOB
HONEYCOMB
HUB
HUBBUB
IAMB
INTERCLUB
INTOMB
JAB
JAMB
JIB
JIBB
JOB
KAB
KABAB
KABOB
KEBAB
KEBOB
KERB
KNOB
KOB
LAB
LAMB
LANDGRAB
LIB
LIBLAB
LIGHTBULB
LIMB
LOB
MEMSAHIB
MIB
MIDRIB
MIHRAB
MILNEB
MINICAB
MINILAB
MOB
NAB
NABOB
NAWAB
NEB
NIB
NIGHTCLUB
NOB
NUB
NUMB
ORB
OUTCLIMB
OUTCLOMB
OUTTHROB
OVERDUB
PEDICAB
PERTURB
PLEB
PLUMB
POTHERB
PREFAB
PROVERB
PUB
REABSORB
REB
RECOMB
REDUB
REHAB
REPLUMB
RESORB
REVERB
RHOMB
RHUBARB
RHUMB
RIB
ROB
RUB
SAB
SAHIB
SANDDAB
SCAB
SCARAB
SCRUB
SERDAB
SHRUB
SIB
SIBB
SILLABUB
SILLIBUB
SKIBOB
SLAB
SLOB
SLUB
SLURB
SNIB
SNOB
SNUB
SOB
SORB
SPARERIB
SPIDERWEB
SQUAB
SQUIB
STAB
STOB
STUB
SUB
SUBDEB
SUBSHRUB
SUBURB
SUCCUMB
SUPERB
SUPERBOMB
SUPERCLUB
SWAB
SWOB
SYLLABUB
TAB
TAXICAB
THINGAMABOB
THROB
THUMB
TOMB
TUB
UNCURB
UNDERSHRUB
UPCLIMB
URB
VERB
WAB
WASHTUB
WEB
WELLCURB
WOMB
YOB
ZINEB

[NanoByte]

Is there a second-order Hell for Satans?

Ray

[BenDover]

Satan does his job well, don't you think? I feel like I've been thru hell already . . .

[Therealbubba]

I didn't know "blowjob" was allowable in Scrabble, or did you just slip that one in to see if we were paying attention?

Therealbubba

[Jodi]

Memo to self: Never, ever click on this thread again.

How about words ending with that letter "E"? Do any exist in English? If so, could anybody list them? :)

------------------
Jacques Kilchoer
Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.

[DSYoungEsq]

If ANYONE asks the Prince of Darkness for words ending in 'C', they deserve to be tossed into the pit for a LONG spell. ;)

And as for YOU, Jacques Raymond, I hope that gag you are now feeling tied around your fingers is nice and comfy. ;)

[manhattan]

Dammit! Stop bringing this thread to the top! I can’t resist opening it – it’s like trying not to stare at a car wreck.

Or in this case, a cache wreck.

So stop! Please!


------------------
Livin' on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine

[Alphagene]

Maybe it would be useful if you put up all the words of the English language here Satan. Just for reference. :)

[BenDover]

Did someone mention words that end with "c"? "Critic" comes to mind easily . . .

Hey, Satan, been to the Alphabet Song thread yet? Talk about a train wreck . . .

------------------
I have as much authority as the Pope; I just don't have as many people who believe it! - George Carlin

[DW3]

OK I'll say it. Geez Satan you gave him the whole... nine... you know the rest.

[John W. Kennedy]

Loss of declension led to loss of -a.

------------------
John W. Kennedy
"Compact is becoming contract; man only earns and pays."
-- Charles Williams

[Konrad]

Gaudere: Actually I think bra comes from the french brassiere. So, nope, not purely english. In fact I don't think there is much in the english language that is purely english.

[matt_mcl]

*pounce* Brassiere is not French; the French word for brassiere is soutien-gorge. Brassiere is actually a brand name!

[Olentzero]

Forgive me for sending this sucker to the top once more - where's the alphabet song thread? I tried looking it up in Search and got nothing.

[BenDover]

www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/002778.html (http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/002778.html)

------------------
The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. - Henry Van Dyke

[SuperNerd]

Oh my gosh. I'm sitting here with tears running down my cheeks - this one is even better than the 'How to give a cat a bath' thread. I've been tempted to post many times, and then I read an exchange like this and realize that: I am not worthy; you people are gods.

I'd print this thread off, but paper just isn't as cheap as it used to be.

Thanks (and I really mean that),
-E-

------------------
Dilbert: But that would be dating myself
Dogbert: Well, it's not like anyone else would date you

[moriah]

Are there any words in the English languge that contain a vowel? What are they?

Oh, and how about a separate list for words with more than one letter?