TAB-luhts
/ˈtæbləts/
tablets is pronounced TAB-luhts (/ˈtæbləts/). Tablets refers to small, flat rectangular devices or objects, such as disposable pills or small digital devices, often used for medical or technological purposes. In plural form, tablets denotes multiple units of such items. The term commonly appears in contexts like pharmaceuticals (pill tablets) and consumer tech (tablet computers).
Tablets refers to small, flat rectangular devices or objects, such as disposable pills or small digital devices, often used for medical or technological purposes. In plural form, tablets denotes multiple units of such items. The term commonly appears in contexts like pharmaceuticals (pill tablets) and consumer tech (tablet computers).
"She prescribed two tablets to be taken after meals."
"The tablet size varies, but the standard is about the thickness of a coin."
"He bought a bundle of tablets for the first-aid kit."
Pronounce it as /ˈtæb.ləts/. The first syllable has primary stress: TAB. The second syllable reduces to schwa /ə/ with a light 'l' onset leading into /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on speaker (most say /tə/ or /lə/ before /ts/). End with /ts/ as in 'cats'. Audio reference: listen to native pronunciations on Forvo or Cambridge. Practice by isolating the /t/ release, then the /l/ with a light tongue tip touch, then the /ɪ/ or /ə/ before /ts/.
Common errors: (1) De-emphasizing the first syllable and saying /ˈteɪ.bɪts/ with a long 'a' is wrong for most accents. (2) Slurring the /l/ into the /b/ (/tl/ fusion) or misplacing the /t/ before the /s/ leading to /ˈtæblɪts/ vs /ˈtæbəts/. (3) Not releasing the final /t/ before /s/—ending with an unreleased /t/ or turning /ts/ into /t/ or /s/. Corrections: emphasize TAB- with a clear /t/ release, keep /l/ light and the second syllable reduced, and pronounce /ts/ as a tight affricate rather than a simple /t/ or /s/.
US/UK/AU share /ˈtæb.ləts/ but US often has a slightly stronger rhotics influence on the first vowel, with a clearer schwa in the second syllable. Some UK speakers may reduce the second syllable more to /tə/ or /lə/ with less vowel length, and Australian speakers tend toward a flatter vowel in /æ/ and a lighter /t/ release. All maintain the final /ts/ cluster, but tempo and vowel quality vary subtly due to rhoticity and vowel reduction differences.
The difficulty sits in the /t/ + /l/ + /ts/ cluster, especially the /tl/ sequence—many speakers insert a vowel or misplace the tongue, producing /ˈteɪblɪts/ or /ˈtæblocts/. Also, the schwa in the second syllable can be reduced inconsistently, making it sound like /ˈtæblɒts/ depending on tempo. Mastery requires precise timing of the tongue tip for /t/, a light /l/ with minimal vowel intrusion, and an accurate affricate /ts/ without voicing intrusion.
A distinctive question for tablets is whether the /l/ in the second syllable attaches a vowel (making /ləts/) or blends into a darker vowel; you’ll hear subtle variations: /ˈtæb.ləts/ often, with the /ə/ being almost imperceptible in rapid speech. Visualize the /l/ as a light touch to the alveolar ridge, then release into the /ts/—this helps stabilize the second syllable in all three major accents.
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Tablets comes from the diminutive of table, via Old French tablete and Latin tabula, meaning a flat surface or plate. The sense extended to small, flat objects—like medicinal pills—recorded in English from the 17th century, with tablet as a small tablet-like piece or card. By the 19th century, tablet broadened to refer to tablets used in computing (early light-weight hardware with flat surfaces) and continues to evolve as a general term for multiple flat, compact items. The medical sense (pill-like tablet) solidified in pharmacology in English use as tablets, while the technology sense emerged with the rise of tablet computers in the late 20th century. The plural tablets follows standard English noun pluralization with -s, used for multiple units of tablet or tablet-like items.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tablets" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tablets" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tablets"
-les sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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