tallow

1 of 2

noun

tal·​low ˈta-(ˌ)lō 

: the white nearly tasteless solid rendered fat of cattle and sheep used chiefly in soap, candles, and lubricants

tallowy

ˈta-lə-wē 

adjective

tallow

2 of 2

verb

tallowed; tallowing; tallows

transitive verb

: to grease or smear with tallow

Examples of tallow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And that tallow does pop, giving the tortilla a distinct unctuousness that’s easy to obsess over. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2023

According to a 1994 study, tallow candles once cost 40.3 cents per 1,000 lumen hours. —Lloyd Alter, Treehugger, 25 Jan. 2023

Fat is in the news: Not just because of the world's obesity problems, but because one agriculture company accidentally fattened up the Houston Ship Channel on Tuesday by spilling 15,000 gallons of beef tallow into it. —Jennifer Welsh, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2011

West: Almost all the interiors were lit with real tallow candles. —John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Oct. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English talgh, talow; akin to Middle Dutch talch tallow

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tallow

noun

tal·​low

ˈtal-ō

: the solid fat of cattle and sheep used chiefly in soap, candles, and lubricants

Medical Definition

tallow

noun

tal·​low ˈtal-(ˌ)ō, -ə(-w) 

: the white nearly tasteless solid rendered fat of cattle and sheep which is used chiefly in soap, margarine, candles, and lubricants and of which the form obtained from domestic sheep (Ovis aries) is used in pharmacy in ointments and cerates