tabz
/tæbz/
tabs is pronounced tabz (/tæbz/). Tabs is a plural noun or verb form referring to small, flat fasteners or to the action of opening multiple browser or document tabs. As a noun, it denotes the little protrusions used to fasten or label; as a verb, it means to annotate, group, or mark with tabs. In everyday usage, you’ll hear “tabs” in tech contexts (browser tabs) and in hardware (metal tabs).
Tabs is a plural noun or verb form referring to small, flat fasteners or to the action of opening multiple browser or document tabs. As a noun, it denotes the little protrusions used to fasten or label; as a verb, it means to annotate, group, or mark with tabs. In everyday usage, you’ll hear “tabs” in tech contexts (browser tabs) and in hardware (metal tabs).
"She kept a few medicine tabs in the cabinet."
"Open three tabs and compare the results."
"The file tabs are labeled A, B, and C."
Pronounce as one syllable: /tæbz/. Start with a short, fronted a as in 'cat', then voice the z sound at the end. The final s is voiced because it is /z/ after a voiced consonant. Tip: place your tongue at the alveolar ridge for the /t/ and then immediately bring teeth to touch to release /b/ vs /b/ is bilabial, then end with /z/. Audio reference: listen to native tech speakers in Pronounce resources.
Two common errors: (1) De-voice /z/ to /s/ at the end, producing /tæbs/ vs /tæbs/ with voiceless end; practice by sustaining a light vocal cord vibration. (2) Misplacing the /t/ and /d/ blending, leading to /dæbz/ or /tædbz/. Focus on clean alveolar stop release before the /z/; keep the tip behind the upper front teeth briefly, then release into a voiced /z/. Slow rhythm drills can help you establish the correct transition. Practice with a mirror.
In US, /tæbz/ with a clear /t/ and voiced /z/. UK tends to maintain /t/ but sometimes vowels are slightly longer in rapid speech; /tæbz/ remains, with less lip rounding. Australian typically features a clipped /t/ and a crisp /z/, even as the overall vowel quality can be more centralized. In all, the ending is a voiced /z/; vowel length and the exact quality of /æ/ can shift slightly, but the core /t/ + /æ/ + /bz/ sequence remains consistent across three accents. IPA references: US /tæbz/, UK /tæbz/, AU /tæbz/.
The difficulty comes from the rapid switch from an alveolar stop (/t/) to a voiced alveolar fricative (/z/) in one tight sequence, especially when followed by the /z/; some learners instinctively voice the /t/ or make the /t/ and /b/ blend. Also, blending the /t/ release with the /æ/ vowel can cause a slight vowel reduction in fast speech. Focus on crisp /t/ release and consistent voicing for /z/; practice with isolation and then in a syllable, then sentence.
Note the final /z/ is voiced after a voiceless alveolar/bilabial sequence, which can be mistaken as /s/. The preceding /b/ is a clear bilabial stop; ensure a quick release from /t/ to /æ/ and then a smooth transition into /z/. The tip is to practice a short release of /t/ to prevent a clipped consonant and to energize the /z/ with a gentle but audible voicing. IPA: /tæbz/.
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Tabs originates from the noun tab, dating back to Middle English, derived from Old French tab, possibly linked to tabula meaning a small board or label. The figurative extension to labels or fasteners emerged in the late 19th to early 20th century as hardware and office terminology evolved, with tabs used to describe protruding pieces on metal or cardboard used to mark, separate, or connect materials. In computing, the metaphor extended to UI elements that resemble physical tabs: movable, labeled sections. The term has maintained its core sense of a projecting piece used for identification, separation, or quick access, expanding into digital contexts where it labels or groups multiple items (browser tabs, tab stops in text, etc.). The first widely recorded usage in print reflects hardware contexts, with later usage in office supplies and. By the late 20th century, tabs had become ubiquitous in software UIs, pointing to a familiar metaphor that endures in modern digital interfaces.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tabs" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tabs"
-abs sounds
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