How do you pronounce it?
Say ES-kroh or es-KROH. Merriam-Webster lists pronunciations with stress on either syllable. The ending rhymes with grow; these respellings are a practical guide to its written pronunciation entries.
Where the word comes from
Escrow comes through Anglo-French from an Old French word for a scrap or piece of parchment. The Online Etymology Dictionary traces the legal use to a document held by a third person until a condition was met, with the money-deposit sense developing later. The CROW letters in the modern spelling have a separate role in the puzzle; the word's history concerns documents.
What does held in escrow mean?
It means an asset is being kept by an intermediary pending the agreed release conditions. The parties' instructions determine when it can be handed over. For example, money in a property transaction may be held while the conditions for closing are completed.
Escrow can involve more than cash. Cornell's Legal Information Institute includes documents and property in its definition and describes source-code escrow as another use. The common idea is conditional holding by a third party.
Is escrow a noun or a verb?
Both uses are recorded. As a noun, escrow can name the arrangement or the funds or property being held. As a verb, to escrow something means to place it in escrow. The past tense is escrowed, and the -ing form is escrowing.
Why this word appears in Connections
In Connections #1226 on October 19, 2026, ESCROW is in the purple group ENDING IN BIRDS with ALIBIS, BALLOON, and MOHAWK. Split the tile as ES + CROW: its last four letters spell the bird name CROW. The same operation gives AL + IBIS, BAL + LOON, and MO + HAWK. Every bird appears intact at the end, in its usual letter order. The financial meaning helps you recognize ESCROW as a word, but the grouping depends on spelling. There is no need to connect the four ordinary meanings or rearrange any letters.
Puzzles featuring this word
Frequently asked questions
What does escrow mean?
Escrow is an arrangement in which a third party holds money, documents, or property until agreed conditions for release have been met.
Is escrow only used for money?
No. Escrow can also involve documents, property, and other assets. Conditional holding by a third party is the central idea.
Is escrow a real word?
Yes. Dictionaries record escrow as both a noun and a verb. To escrow an asset means to place it in escrow.
Why is ESCROW in Connections #1226?
ESCROW ends in CROW. It joins ALIBIS, BALLOON, and MOHAWK, which end in IBIS, LOON, and HAWK, in the October 19, 2026 purple group ENDING IN BIRDS.
Sources & further reading
- Merriam-Webster — escrow
- Cornell Legal Information Institute — escrow
- Online Etymology Dictionary — escrow
- The New York Times — Connections