TAPU is valid in Collins, not in North America — 6 points
It depends on the list you play by. TAPU is in Collins, used in the UK and most of the world, but it is not in the North American lists — so in a US or Canadian game an opponent can challenge it off the board. Worth 6 points. Words with Friends does accept it.
Which word lists accept TAPU?
| Official Scrabble Players DictionaryUSA, Canada, Thailand | Not listed |
|---|---|
| Official Tournament and Club Word ListUSA, Canada, Thailand | Not listed |
| Collins Scrabble WordsEnglish in most countries | Valid |
| Words with FriendsZynga word list | Valid |
Word power: 29 / 100
Our own measure of how useful TAPU is to know. It scores 6 from 4 tiles, takes 1 hook, and its letters make up 5.3% of the bag. How this number is calculated
Hooks for TAPU
Front hooks — 0
None.
Back hooks — 1
tapusChecked against OSPD, TWL, CSW, WWF. Takes an S, so it hooks onto plurals easily.
How TAPU scores
Face value of the 4 tiles in TAPU, before any board multiplier.
Tiles you need
| Letter | Needed | In the bag |
|---|---|---|
| t | 1 | 6 |
| a | 1 | 9 |
| p | 1 | 2 |
| u | 1 | 4 |
Drawing exactly these 4 tiles as an opening rack: 1 in 9,077.
What stands out about TAPU
- The same 4 tiles also spell 2 other words, so the rack is worth re-reading before you play it.
Counted from the four word lists we hold, not taken from anywhere else. How we calculate things
What does TAPU mean in Scrabble?
adjective
New Zealand
Sacred or forbidden under Maori custom; set apart by a religious or social restriction.
Tapu is a Maori word describing something placed under a spiritual restriction, so that touching, using, or even mentioning it is forbidden until the restriction is lifted. The concept covers people, places, and objects considered sacred, and is related to the more familiar word taboo.
How TAPU is used
Used in New Zealand English when discussing Maori custom and law.
- The burial ground was declared tapu by the local iwi.
- No one entered the tapu cave without permission from the elders.
- The chief's cloak was considered tapu after his death.
- Visitors were warned that the rock formation was tapu.
- Lifting the tapu required a special ceremony.
Written for this site: 1 meaning of TAPU and 5 example sentences, not copied from a published dictionary.
Anagrams of TAPU
The 4 tiles of TAPU in a different order — 2 found.
Words starting with TAPU
3 longer words begin with TAPU.
Words with TAPU inside
7 words contain TAPU in the middle. Words that start with TAPU are listed separately above, so nothing is repeated.
Shorter words from the letters in TAPU
Common questions about TAPU
- Is TAPU valid in Words with Friends?
- Yes. Words with Friends accepts TAPU, where it scores 8 points. That game keeps its own list, separate from the Scrabble dictionaries.
- How many points is TAPU worth?
- TAPU is worth 6 points in Scrabble and 8 points in Words with Friends.
- What does TAPU mean?
- Sacred or forbidden under Maori custom; set apart by a religious or social restriction.
- What letters can be added to TAPU?
- TAPU takes 1 hook: 0 in front and 1 at the end.
Every word you can build from the 4 letters of TAPU:
Open TAPU in the Word Finder