TAL-oh
/ˈtæloʊ/
tallow is pronounced TAL-oh (/ˈtæloʊ/). Tallow is a rendered form of animal fat, typically beef or mutton, used in candles, soap, and cooking. It’s solid at room temperature and has a slightly greasy, neutral flavor when used in cooking. The term also appears in historical contexts to describe fat used for lubrication or preservation. In modern usage, it contrasts with vegetable oils and suet, reflecting traditional fat-based resources.
Tallow is a rendered form of animal fat, typically beef or mutton, used in candles, soap, and cooking. It’s solid at room temperature and has a slightly greasy, neutral flavor when used in cooking. The term also appears in historical contexts to describe fat used for lubrication or preservation. In modern usage, it contrasts with vegetable oils and suet, reflecting traditional fat-based resources.
"The butcher rendered the tallow to make soap."
"Old recipes call for tallow to fry potatoes for a crisp, rich finish."
"She kept a tin of tallow on the shelf for candle-making."
Pronounce it as TA-low, with the first syllable stressed. In IPA: US /ˈtæloʊ/, UK /ˈtæl.əʊ/, AU /ˈtæləʊ/. Begin with a short open front vowel in first syllable, then a light, rounded final vowel. The mouth opens for /æ/, closes slightly into /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ for the second vowel, and ends with a rounded lip posture for the diphthong. Keep the final consonant clear but soft, avoiding a harsh or clipped stop. Accent the first syllable more than the second and maintain a gentle glide into the final vowel.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress on the second syllable (ta-LOW) or reducing the second syllable to a schwa too early (TA-low). Another frequent error is treating the final /oʊ/ as a pure /o/ without the natural glide. To correct: keep primary stress on the first syllable, pronounce the final as a proper /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ with a distinct glide, and avoid turning the vowel into a flat /o/. Practicing with minimal pairs can help: /ˈtæloʊ/ vs. /ˈtælə/.
In US English, /ˈtæloʊ/ uses a clear /æ/ in the first syllable and a closing /oʊ/ in the second with a non-rhotic or rhotic influence depending on speaker. UK speakers use /ˈtæl.əʊ/ with a shorter second syllable vowel sometimes reduced to /ə/ before the final /ʊ/ diphthong in many accents. Australian English often has a broader /æ/ and a more centralized second vowel, leaning toward /ˈtæləʊ/ or /ˈtæləʊ/ with less pronounced rhotacism. The main differences: vowel quality in the first syllable, degree of rhoticity, and the exact realization of the second syllable diphthong.
The difficulty lies in the short, lax /æ/ in the first syllable combined with a bright, rounded /oʊ/ in the second, which can force a speaker to jump from a tense to a relaxed jaw position quickly. The second syllable can be reduced or overly stressed depending on context. Additionally, some learners have trouble with the /l/ placement and the glide onset of /oʊ/ after a stressed syllable. Focus on keeping the first vowel crisp, then smoothly glide into the final /oʊ/.
A unique consideration is the strong initial vowel and the transition to a relatively high back rounded vowel in the second syllable. The /l/ is light but present; avoid turning the sequence into a flat, monotone vowel. Watch for vowel reduction in rapid speech: the first syllable should not lose the /æ/ identity, which helps differentiate from similar words like ‘tallow’ vs ‘tallow’ with different stress patterns.
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Tallow comes from Middle English talwe, talwe, derived from Old English tælew or talw, with roots likely in Proto-Germanic *talwuz. The word is tied to fat rendered from animal tissues, particularly cattle or sheep. Historically, tallow referred to the rendered fat used for candles and soap. In early English texts, tallow distinguished animal fats from plant oils, and later, as industrial processes evolved, it retained its association with candle-making and lubrication. First attested in the 9th or 10th centuries in Old English sources, the term broadened in medieval and early modern English to encompass rendered fats used in cooking and preserves. The spelling stabilized toward modern English as “tallow,” while its semantic sphere shifted with technology and dietary changes, yet the core meaning—rendered animal fat used for practical purposes—remains intact. By the 18th and 19th centuries, improvements in orchestration of fat sources and the rise of vegetable oils reduced its culinary prominence in many regions, but the term persisted in crafts and specialized cuisines. Despite globalization, “tallow” still evokes traditional fat-based products and historical contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tallow" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tallow"
-low sounds
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