tab
/tæb/
tab is pronounced tab (/tæb/). Tab is a short, monosyllabic word meaning a small projection or label, often used for a key, a tag, or an on-screen label. It can also refer to a tab on a browser or an item of shopping at a store. In casual speech, it’s frequently pronounced with a quick, clipped final /b/ and a short initial /t/ sound. The term is common in everyday tech, retail, and office contexts.
Tab is a short, monosyllabic word meaning a small projection or label, often used for a key, a tag, or an on-screen label. It can also refer to a tab on a browser or an item of shopping at a store. In casual speech, it’s frequently pronounced with a quick, clipped final /b/ and a short initial /t/ sound. The term is common in everyday tech, retail, and office contexts.
- You might pronounce tab with a long vowel like /teːb/ or /tæːb/; keep it short as /tæb/. - Some speakers omit the final /b/ and stop at /t/ (e.g., saying /tæ/). Focus on a crisp /b/ release. - In fast speech, the /t/ can blend into a quick onset; practice with a light stop-release followed by /b/ to keep clarity. - Avoid voiceless final, which makes it sound like /tæp/ or /tap/; ensure voicing on /b/.
"I saved the tab for the product page you asked me to compare."
"Click the tab at the top to switch to the settings panel."
"The bartender handed me a tab, and I paid at the end."
Pronounce /tæb/, with a short, tense /æ/ as in cat, a quick /t/ release, and a voiced /b/ at the end. The tongue briefly resides with the blade near the alveolar ridge, lips neutral to light rounding, and the final /b/ released with a small puff. In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp stop; in fast speech it may be slightly softer. IPA: US/UK/AU /tæb/.
Common mistakes: 1) Using a longer vowel like /eɪ/ or /æː/ instead of the short /æ/. 2) Dropping the final /b/ or making it sound like /p/ due to unreleased stop. 3) Slurring the /t/ into a tap or flap in rapid speech. Corrections: keep the vowel short /æ/, clearly release the /t/ with a light burst followed by the voiced /b/, and ensure the /t/ is alveolar-tap-free when clarity matters.
US/UK/AU share /tæb/, but subtle differences exist: US often has a tighter /t/ release and crisper /b/; UK may show slightly softer /t/ in rapid speech and more dental acoustics in surrounding vowels; AU tends to be non-rhotic like UK but with less vowel reduction in this monosyllable. The main effect is vowel duration and surrounding vowel quality in connected speech.
The challenge lies in balancing a quick /t/ release with a clear, voiced /b/ at the end. Some speakers may de-voice the final consonant or merge /t/ and /b/ in rapid speech. Lip and jaw coordination must ensure voicing for /b/ begins immediately after the /t/ closure, without an audible vowel in between. Pay attention to the crisp stop followed by a smooth voiced stop.
A tab’s final /b/ can be devoiced in very fast casual speech, but in careful speech you’ll hear a clear, brief vocalic release between /t/ and /b/. Ensure no vowel intrusion or glottal stop between them; keep the sequence tight and audible, especially in a professional context like UI instructions.
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- US: Maintain a sharper /t/ release and a clear /b/; the vowel /æ/ is relatively short; avoid lengthening it. - UK: The /t/ may be slightly softer in rapid speech; keep the /æ/ quality similar but ensure the /b/ is audible. - AU: Similar to UK but with often more relaxed vowel timing; keep /æ/ clearly produced and don’t reduce the /b/. - IPA references: US /tæb/, UK /tæb/, AU /tæb/.
The word tab originates from the Middle English tabbe, meaning a small piece or projecting part, related to the Old English tabba or tabba-t, which referred to a tag or label. In the 17th–18th centuries, tab began to denote a small projection, something to be caught or grabbed, possibly from Scandinavian languages where similar forms existed for a protruding piece. By the 19th century, tab had broader usage: as a label or descriptor on items, as well as a quick reference in printed catalogs. In modern usage, tab commonly refers to labels, tags, or a clickable section in software (e.g., browser tabs). The pronunciation shift to a simple CV-C over time reflects rapid, clipped speech in everyday English, with the final /b/ often released sharply in careful speech and more softly in casual speech.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "tab" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "tab" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tab" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tab"
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