havoc

Plural: havocs

Noun

violent and needless disturbance
Widespread devastation and destruction.
Mayhem.

Verb

To pillage.
To cause havoc.

Intj

A cry in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”), of obscure origin. Probably from a derivative of Old French *haf, hef (“hook”), from Frankish *haf, *habbjā, *happjā (“pruning-hook, scythe”), derived from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to take up, lift”), related to Old French havee (“handful”), Old French havet (“pruning-hook”), Old High German habba, heppa (“pruning-hook, scythe”), modern German Hippe (“billhook”). If so, then also related to English heave and doublet of hatchet.

Synonyms

mayhem

Scrabble Score: 13

havoc is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
havoc is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
havoc is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

havoc is a valid Words With Friends word