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

Fries are the single most convincing demonstration of what tallow does. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026

That combination of flavor reinforcement and heat tolerance is the quiet engine behind nearly every dish tallow is good for. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026

This place is also known for its fries, which are fried to crispy perfection in beef tallow. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

This comes as several social media users have called for In-N-Out to use beef tallow to cook its fries. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for tallow

• callow
• hallo
• hallow
• mallow
• palo
• sallow
• shallow
• caballo
• cavallo

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