2 syllables: Fa, toush. Stress on Fa.
FAT-oosh
/ˈfætuːʃ/
Fatoush is pronounced FAT-oosh (/ˈfætuːʃ/). It has two syllables (Fa-toush), with the stress on "Fa". Fatoush is a Middle Eastern salad made with mixed greens, vegetables, and crispy pita chips, dressed in a lemony, tangy vinaigrette. As a noun, it refers to the dish itself and is often encountered in culinary contexts, menus, and discussions of regional cuisine. The term denotes a specific traditional salad, distinctive for its crunchy texture and vibrant herbs.
nounFatoush is a Middle Eastern salad made with mixed greens, vegetables, and crispy pita chips, dressed in a lemony, tangy vinaigrette. As a noun, it refers to the dish itself and is often encountered in culinary contexts, menus, and discussions of regional cuisine. The term denotes a specific traditional salad, distinctive for its crunchy texture and vibrant herbs.
"I ordered a Fatoush at the Lebanese restaurant and loved the bright sumac dressing."
"She brought a bowl of Fatoush to the potluck, complete with toasted pita triangles."
"The cookbook features a classic Fatoush recipe, with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and mint."
Pronounce Fatoush as /ˈfæ.tuːʃ/ in US and UK English, with the first syllable stressed. In US/UK practice you can think of FAH-toosh, where the second syllable features a long “oo”-like vowel before the final sh. Your mouth positions: start with the open-front short-a /æ/ for the first syllable, then glide into a long rounded /uː/ for the second vowel before the /ʃ/ sound. For audio reference, listen to native speakers on pronunciation platforms and match the rhythm to 2-syllable food terms. IPA guide helps you align the vowel length and final fricative for natural delivery.
Common errors include: using a short /u/ in the second syllable instead of a long /uː/, and misplacing the stress as FA-toush or fa-TOOSH. Correct to /ˈfæ.tuːʃ/ with stress on the first syllable and the second syllable featuring a long /uː/ before the /ʃ/. Make sure the final /ʃ/ is a clear, unvoiced hushing sound. Practice by isolating the two vowels, then say them together quickly: /æ/ → /uː/ + /ʃ/. Audio imitation helps fix length and voicing.
Across accents, you’ll hear subtle differences: US pronunciation /ˈfæ.tuːʃ/ tends to keep a crisp /æ/ and a longer /uː/ before /ʃ/. UK English often uses a similar /æ/ but with slightly shorter vowel duration and less rhotic influence, while Australians may exhibit a more centralized /æ/ and a broader, flatter /uː/ depending on regional vowel shifts. Rhythms are generally trochaic (stressed-unstressed), but vowel quality can shift with speaker background. In all, the final /ʃ/ remains voiceless and clear across dialects.
Fatoush presents two main phonetic challenges: the long /uː/ sound in the second syllable can be unfamiliar for speakers who don’t distinguish /uː/ from /u/, and the final /ʃ/ requires precise voiceless postalveolar fricative production. Additionally, keeping the primary stress on the first syllable while maintaining a short /æ/ in the initial vowel can feel counterintuitive in some dialects. Focusing on a clear /æ/ then lengthened /uː/ before /ʃ/ makes it natural.
There are no silent letters in Fatoush; it’s a clean two-syllable word with clear stress on the first syllable: /ˈfæ.tuːʃ/. The primary stress falls on the first syllable, which is typical for many food terms borrowed from foreign languages. The second syllable houses the long /uː/ before the /ʃ/ sound, and the final /ʃ/ is a straightforward voiceless fricative. Practicing the two sounds together helps memorize the rhythm and help with consistent stress.
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Fatoush (also fatoush, fattoush) derives from Levantine Arabic فَتوش (fatūsh), from the Palestinian/Levantine culinary term meaning “crushed” or “crumbled,” referring to the toasted pita pieces that break into the salad. The root ف-ت-ش (f-t-sh) conveys breaking or crushing, seen in related dishes where bread is torn or crumbled. The dish likely coalesced in urban Levantine kitchens where stale bread was repurposed into a fresh vegetable salad with herbs, lemon, olive oil, and sumac. Early references appear in 20th-century cookbooks and restaurant menus in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan, evolving from “fattoush” transliterations with varying spellings. The standardization toward Fatoush in English-language writing reflects broader Arabization of food terms in the mid-20th century, with “fattoush” and “fattoush” variations offering regional pronunciation flavors. The dish’s cultural diffusion has cemented its status as a signature Levantine salad worldwide, with modern recipes sometimes substituting or omitting toasted pita, while preserving the bright citrusy-tart profile that defines the name. In sum, Fatoush embodies a practical, resourceful culinary tradition rooted in Arabic language and Levantine gastronomy, with a name that literally hints at its characteristic bread-crisp texture.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Fatoush" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Fatoush"
-ush sounds
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