Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

thumbtack

/ˈθʌm.tæk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.88 in modern English

Syllables
thumb-tack
IPA
/ˈθʌm.tæk/
22
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A small nail-like tack with a slightly rounded head that can be pressed into place with light pressure from the thumb; used for hanging light articles on a wall or noticeboard.

Canadian usage; American usage

verb

To fix or attach something with a thumbtack.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From thumb + tack.

Usage

Inflected Forms

thumbtacks (plural) thumbtacks (present, singular) thumbtacking (participle, present) thumbtacked (participle, past) thumbtacked (past)

Frequently Paired Words

pushpin

Synonyms

drawing pin pushpin

Questions

How do you pronounce thumbtack?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈθʌm.tæk/.
What does thumbtack mean?
A small nail-like tack with a slightly rounded head that can be pressed into place with light pressure from the thumb; used for hanging light articles on a wall or noticeboard.
Where does thumbtack come from?
From thumb + tack.

How to pronounce thumbtack

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “thumbtack”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈθʌm.tæk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “thumbtack”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “thumbtack” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.