tallow

[ tal-oh ]

noun

1. the fatty tissue or suet of animals.
2. the harder fat of sheep, cattle, etc., separated by melting from the fibrous and membranous matter naturally mixed with it, and used to make candles, soap, etc.
3. any of various similar fatty substances:

   vegetable tallow.

verb (used with object)

1. to smear with tallow.

tallow

/ ˈtæləʊ /

noun

1. a fatty substance consisting of a mixture of glycerides, including stearic, palmitic, and oleic acids and extracted chiefly from the suet of sheep and cattle: used for making soap, candles, food, etc

verb

1. tr to cover or smear with tallow

Derived Forms

• ˈtallowy, adjective

Other Words From

• un·tallowed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tallow¹

1300–50; Middle English talow, talgh; cognate with German Talg

Word History and Origins

Origin of tallow¹

Old English tælg, a dye; related to Middle Low German talch tallow, Dutch talk, Icelandic tólg

Example Sentences

They fry their french fries in beef tallow, which is what McDonald’s used to do, and that’s why they taste so crispy and nice.

From Los Angeles Times

They are in two parts - the standing ways which remain static and the sliding ways which move with the ship, aided by 15 barrels of grease and 10 barrels of tallow.

From BBC

Both of them have been lying, and now they are far from home, exposed by the “kind of heat in which secrets melt, like beef tallow.”

From New York Times

For centuries tallow and lard have been used to make candles, soaps and cosmetics.

From BBC

When you sink your teeth into this charred crust, the interior oozes with nutty and cheesy flavors, leaving a sheen of tallow on your lips as a memento of the best burger in Seattle.

From Seattle Times