Lamb is a young sheep or a meat dish from a lamb carcass. In everyday English it commonly refers to the animal, and in culinary contexts it denotes lamb meat. The word conveys innocence or gentleness in metaphorical use, and appears in various idioms and expressions beyond literal farming contexts.
"The shepherd led the lamb back to the pen."
"We grilled lamb chops for dinner."
"The phrase 'the lamb of God' has religious significance."
"She wore a soft cardigan that made her look like a lamb in a nursery rhyme."
Lamb comes from Old English lēmb or lamb, originally referring to a young sheep. Its etymology traces to Proto-Germanic *lambaz and possibly Proto-Indo-European root *lem- meaning ‘to leap’ or ‘young animal,’ reflecting the animal’s youthful energy. By Middle English, lamb referred to the young of sheep, and by extension to lamb meat in culinary contexts. The semantic range expanded in religious and literary usage, including the biblical “Lamb of God,” which intensified cross-cultural recognition. Throughout centuries, the word maintained its core meaning of a young sheep but broadened in metaphorical uses—connoting gentleness, innocence, or sacrifice—while remaining a staple term in agriculture, cuisine, and theology. First known uses appear in Old English literature and legal records, with stable spelling and pronunciation cementing in Early Modern English adaptations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Lamb" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Lamb"
-me) sounds
-amb sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /lӕmp/ in US and UK English, with a short, open front vowel followed by the /l/ and a clear /m/ before the final /p/. The key is not to vocalize an /æ/ as a long sound; keep it clipped. For reference, listen to native speakers via sources like Pronounce or Forvo; practice by saying 'lap' with an extra /m/ at the end. IPA guide: /læmp/ in standard varieties. Try to keep the tongue low and relaxed, with the lips neutral, and release into a crisp /p/ closure.
Two common errors are over-emphasizing the /æ/ (making it sound like ‘lamb’ with a longer vowel) and treating /mp/ as two separate sounds rather than a combined /mp/ closure-release. To correct: keep a short, lax /æ/ for the vowel, and produce a single smooth /mp/ cluster by lifting the soft palate and ending with a strong /p/ release. Another misstep is inserting a vowel between /m/ and /p/; practice with a short, brisk /mp/ with no vowel in between.
In US, UK, and AU pronunciations the core is /læmp/. Differences are subtle: US tends to a slightly more nasal quality on /æ/ and a crisper /p/ release; UK may have a slightly rounded lip posture and a marginally tenser vowel; Australian tends to a flatter, fronted /æ/ with a less prominent r-sounding influence (though lamb is non-rhotic in most Australian accents, the /æ/ is central-front). Overall, the rhyme and consonant timing stay consistent across accents.
The difficulty lies in the tight /m/ + /p/ sequence at the end and the short, lax vowel /æ/. Speakers often overarticulate the vowel or insert an extra vowel between /m/ and /p/, producing /lææmp/ or /lemp/. The rapid release of /p/ after /m/ requires precise timing and lip closure. Additionally, some non-native speakers mispronounce the /l/ by assuming a more velar or dental placement; keeping the tongue tip on the alveolar ridge helps a clean onset.
A unique aspect is the near-universal pronunciation with a final /mp/ cluster, but in rapid speech, some speakers may devoice or reduce the /p/ lightly, resulting in a damped final sound. This can create perception of /læmp/ vs. /læm/ with a silent /p/. If you practice with a brief release, you’ll maintain a crisp final consonant that distinguishes from similar words like ‘lam’.
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