Pronunciation: [skɹˈabə͡l] (IPA) 
The word scrabble, meaning to scratch or claw frantically or to play the popular board game, is spelled using a combination of sounds. The initial sound is /sk/, voiced by the consonant cluster 'sc', followed by the vowel sound /æ/ spelled using 'a'. The final sound is /bəl/ spelled by the letters 'b' and 'le'. The schwa sound /ə/ is found in the middle. Thus, the IPA transcription for the word scrabble is /ˈskræbəl/.
Scrabble is a noun that primarily refers to a popular word game that involves forming words on a board using individual letter tiles and strategic planning. It can also be used as a verb to describe the act of playing this game.
As a noun, Scrabble specifically denotes a trademarked board game invented by Alfred Mosher Butts in the 1930s. The game consists of a square board divided into a grid of cells, each representing a letter and point value. Players take turns drawing random tiles from a bag and placing them on the board to create words horizontally or vertically. The goal is to accumulate the highest possible score by using high-value letters and strategically placing words on bonus squares for additional points. The game typically ends once all the tiles have been used, or when players can no longer form new words.
The term "scrabble" can also be used more broadly to refer to any similar activity or game that involves rearranging lettered tiles to form words. This can include electronic or online versions of the game, as well as word puzzles and other word-based challenges. The act of "scrabbling" as a verb describes the action of playing Scrabble or engaging in letter-based word games in general.
Overall, Scrabble is a well-known and widely enjoyed board game that tests players' vocabulary, spelling, and strategic abilities in a competitive and entertaining manner.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "scrabble" derives from the Middle English term "scrabben", which means "to scratch or claw". It is associated with the sound or action of scraping or scratching on a surface. The game itself, Scrabble, was invented by Alfred Mosher Butts in 1938. He initially called it "Lexiko" and then "Criss-Cross Words" before settling on the name Scrabble. The term perfectly captures the essence of the game, where players must scramble or scrabble to form words using letter tiles.
