Scrabble is a word game where 2-4 players score points by placing letter tiles on a board to form words. It was invented in the 1930s by Alfred Mosher Butts and later published by James Brunot. The game consists of a board with a grid layout, letter tiles with different point values, and racks for holding letters. Players take turns drawing new letters and using them to form interlocking words across the board for points. The game encourages strategy and builds vocabulary.