One syllable: galls.
gawlz
/ɡɔlz/
galls is pronounced gawlz (/ɡɔlz/). It has one syllable (galls), with the stress on "galls". Galls refers to growths on plants caused by insects or disease, or to gallnuts used for tanning and dyeing. In biology, it denotes abnormal plant tissue formed as a reaction to parasites, while colloquially it can describe bold, impudently audacious behavior (as in “warts and galls”). The term is specific to pathology and botany, with extended metaphorical usage in literature.
Galls refers to growths on plants caused by insects or disease, or to gallnuts used for tanning and dyeing. In biology, it denotes abnormal plant tissue formed as a reaction to parasites, while colloquially it can describe bold, impudently audacious behavior (as in “warts and galls”). The term is specific to pathology and botany, with extended metaphorical usage in literature.
- Commonly, speakers shorten the /ɔː/ to a short /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ in fast speech, producing something like /ɡɒlz/; fix by lengthening the /ɔː/ and keeping jaw steady. - Another frequent error is dropping the /l/ and producing a plain /z/ after a short vowel, which turns 'galls' into 'gas' or 'gaes'; practice by isolating the /l/ before /z/. - A third pitfall is misplacing the tongue for the /l/ leading to a dark /l/ (like in ‘pull’) before /z/; aim for a light, alveolar /l/ with the tip touching the ridge behind the upper front teeth, then release into /z/.
"The leaves bore small galls caused by a wasp larva."
"She used gall to describe the plant tissue under attack by the insect."
"The historian noted the galls as a traditional source of tannin in leather making."
You pronounce it with a single syllable: /ɡɔːlz/. The initial /ɡ/ is a hard g as in go, the vowel is the long open-mid /ɔː/ (like “all” in many dialects, but slightly longer in careful speech), and the final /lz/ is a light, voiced consonant cluster. Emphasize the /ɔː/ vowel and finish with a crisp /lz/ blend. If you’re thinking of US vs UK, the /ɔː/ tends to be a rounded, tense vowel in both, with minor quality shifts by dialect. Audio reference: you can compare in dictionaries that provide recordings for “galls.”
Two common errors are mispronouncing the vowel as a short /ɒ/ or confusing final cluster to /l/ only. Correct by producing a clear /ɔː/ long vowel before the /lz/—for many learners this means pulling the tongue body back slightly and keeping jaw relaxed. Another mistake is weakening the /z/ into a softer voice; keep /z/ voiced and crisp as in ‘zoo’ while transitioning to the /l/ with a quick, light contact. Practicing with minimal pairs can help distinguish /ɔːlz/ from similar words like 'gals' (no /l/ sound before z) and 'gullys' (not a real word but to illustrate cluster awareness).
In US, UK, and AU, the primary difference is the vowel quality of the /ɔː/; US speakers may have a more open /ɑ/ or merged vowel depending on region, sometimes approaching /ɒ/ or /ɔ/. UK and AU typically retain a clearer /ɔː/ with less rounding variance. Rhotic accents in the US may slightly color the vowel, but the final /lz/ remains a light, voiced cluster. The main variation to listen for is how long the vowel length is and whether the /l/ is light or darker before the /z/.
Galls combines a long back-vowel /ɔː/ with a tightly released /lz/ cluster, which can be tough if you’re not used to leading from a back tongue position while ensuring the /l/ and /z/ are cleanly distinct. Learners often shorten /ɔː/ to /ɔ/ or drop the voicing on /z/, making it sound like ‘gals.’ Pay attention to timing between the vowel and the consonant cluster and keep the /l/ light but defined. IPA cues and mouth positioning help you avoid mispronunciations.
Yes—though rare, the plural form might be pronounced with a slightly shorter vowel in very rapid speech, slurring toward a near /ɡɔːlz/ to /ɡɔlz/ depending on rhythm. In careful speech, you’ll clearly articulate the /ɔː/ and maintain a direct, voiced /z/ post-l warm if preceding a verb or noun. The crucial nuance is the long, tense back vowel before the final /lz/ cluster, ensuring the /l/ is not swallowed or elided.
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- US: /ɡɔːlz/ with rhotic influence; the /ɔː/ may be tenser and longer. - UK: /ɡɔːlz/ with a crisper /l/ and slightly non-rhotic vowel environment; keep the final /z/ audible. - AU: /ɡɔːlz/ similar to UK, but you'll often notice a more centralized vowel quality and a very light /l/. Reference IPA: /ɡɔːlz/ across all three; adjust for regional vowel shifts. - General tip: keep the tongue root relaxed and present the vowel with a steady jaw; the /l/ should be lightly touched with the tip and the /z/ clearly voiced.
The word gall derives from Old English gald or gald, related to the Proto-Germanic gallą, denoting a foreign or abrasive process. In botanical terms, gall refers to abnormal outgrowths in plants caused by parasites (insects, mites, fungi). The sense of a plant tumor emerged in early modern botany, with galls particularly connected to the growths induced by parasitic insects like wasps or aphids. The fruiting bodies or nodules known as galls (or galls on oaks caused by wasps) entered English usage from scientific treatises in the 16th–18th centuries, consolidating their botanic meaning. In broader metaphorical usage, gall as boldness or impudence appears in English literature and legal phrases from the 18th century onward, evolving to include “gall” as a choleric or audacious quality. The term also intersects with gallnut production—an important tanning/dye source in early commerce—linking the word to gall or resin-based plant exudates that have long been valued in crafts and industry. First known use in botanical context is documented in early herbals and natural histories, with expanding usage in horticulture and pathology texts from the 17th century to the present. Modern usage often distinguishes between biological galls on plants and figurative gall (audacity or impudence) in everyday language and literature.
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Words that rhyme with "galls"
-lls sounds
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