Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

callous

/ˈkæləs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.07 in modern English

Syllables: cal-lous
IPA: /ˈkæləs/

9

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.

adj

Having calluses, or relating to calluses.

noun

Alternative form of callus.

verb

Alternative form of callus.

Example Sentences

"She was so callous that she could criticise a cancer patient for wearing a wig."
"Re-watching some of the audition rounds of these shows now, you're struck by how callous the judges' comments often were, and how they presented a cruel spectacle in which the audience were set up to laugh at the "deluded" members of the public who believed they could sing."
"Hanson was beginning to feel annoyance at the suddenly cocksure and unsympathetic girl, but he stood fully erect and flexed his muscles. There wasn't even a trace of bedsoreness, though he had been flat on his back long enough to grow callouses."

Etymology

From Latin callōsus (“hard-skinned”), from callum (“hardened skin”) + -ōsus.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkæləs/
British English: /ˈkæləs/

Inflected Forms

more callous (comparative) most callous (superlative) callouses (plural) callouses (present, singular) callousing (participle, present) calloused (participle, past) calloused (past)

Derived Forms

uncallous

Frequently Paired Words

callously callousness callus

Synonyms

heartless insensitive brutal callous cold insensate hardhanded cold-eyed cruel dour thick-skinned flint-hearted

Homonyms

callus

Rhymes With

palace dallas alice malice callus pallas digitalis gallus balas prothallus phallus thallus

Questions

How do you pronounce callous?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkæləs/.
What does callous mean?: Emotionally hardened; unfeeling and indifferent to the suffering/feelings of others.
Where does callous come from?: From Latin callōsus (“hard-skinned”), from callum (“hardened skin”) + -ōsus.

How to pronounce callous

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “callous”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkæləs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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