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• Tallis
  Tallis

  noun

  Thomas, c1505–85, English organist and composer, especially of church music.
• tallis
  tallis

  noun

  Judaism a fringed shawl worn by Jewish men during morning prayers

Tallis

American  

[tal-is] / ˈtæl ɪs /

Or Tallys,

noun

1. Thomas, c1505–85, English organist and composer, especially of church music.

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Tallis ¹ British  

/ ˈtælɪs /

noun

1. Thomas. ?1505–85, English composer and organist; noted for his music for the Anglican liturgy

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tallis ² British  

/ ˈtɑlis, tɑˈlit /

noun

1. Judaism a fringed shawl worn by Jewish men during morning prayers

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Etymology

Origin of tallis

from Hebrew, literally: a cover

Example Sentences

In the Sistine Chapel there was a serene moment with the singing of a piece by the English Catholic composer Thomas Tallis.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

Tallis urges anyone interested in the Buzzard to “stop by the store and let us know what you think.”

From Seattle Times • May 30, 2024

After studying with Tallis, in 1563, Byrd left to take up the post of organist and master of the choristers at Lincoln Cathedral.

From New York Times • Jul. 4, 2023

Wrexham had an early penalty shout waved away by referee Scott Tallis for what appeared to be a shove on Mullin, but the first half at the Racecourse Ground was largely a cagey affair.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2023

Likewise the keyboard music of sixteenth-century English composers Thomas Tallis, William Byrd and John Redford, which was originally intended to be sung, was soon adapted, by them and others, into music tailor-made for the virginals.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall