tender

adjective

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ten·der | \ ˈten-dər

Definition of tender

(Entry 1 of 7)

1 : marked by, responding to, or expressing the softer emotions : fond, loving a tender lover

2a : showing care : considerate, solicitous tender regard

b : highly susceptible to impressions or emotions : impressionable a tender conscience

3a : easily chewed : succulent

b : having a soft or yielding texture : easily broken, cut, or damaged : delicate, fragile tender feet

4a : sensitive to touch or palpation the bruise was still tender

b : sensitive to injury or insult : touchy tender pride

c : demanding careful and sensitive handling : ticklish a tender situation

d of a boat : easily tipped by an external force

5a : physically weak : not able to endure hardship

b : immature, young children of tender age

c : incapable of resisting cold : not hardy tender perennials

6a : appropriate or conducive to a delicate or sensitive constitution or character : gentle, mild tender breeding tender irony

b : delicate or soft in quality or tone never before heard the piano sound so tender— Elva S. Daniels

7 obsolete : dear, precious

tender

verb (1)

tendered; tendering\ ˈten-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of tender (Entry 2 of 7)

transitive verb

1 : to present for acceptance : offer tendered my resignation

2 : to make a tender of

intransitive verb

: to make a bid or tender

tender

noun (1), often attributive

Definition of tender (Entry 3 of 7)

1 : an unconditional offer of money or service in satisfaction of a debt or obligation made to save a penalty or forfeiture for nonpayment or nonperformance

2 : an offer or proposal made for acceptance: such as

a : an offer of a bid for a contract

b : tender offer

3 : something that may be offered in payment specifically : money

tender

noun (2)

Definition of tender (Entry 4 of 7)

: an often breaded strip of usually breast meat chicken tenders also : the tenderloin of a chicken

tender

noun (3)

tend·er | \ ˈten-dər

Definition of tender (Entry 5 of 7)

: one that tends: such as

a(1) : a ship employed to attend other ships (as to supply provisions)

(2) : a boat for communication or transportation between shore and a larger ship

(3) : a warship that provides logistic support

b : a car attached to a steam locomotive for carrying a supply of fuel and water

tender

verb (2)

tendered; tendering\ ˈten-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of tender (Entry 6 of 7)

transitive verb

1 : to make tender : soften, weaken

2 archaic : to regard or treat with tenderness

intransitive verb

: to become tender

tender

noun (4)

Definition of tender (Entry 7 of 7)

obsolete

: consideration, regard

Other Words from tender Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about tender

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Synonyms & Antonyms for tender

Synonyms: Adjective

Antonyms: Adjective

tough

Examples of tender in a Sentence

Adjective He gave her a tender look. She was tender and loving with her new child. Cook the pasta until it is just tender. Her wrist was swollen and tender.

First Known Use of tender

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun (1)

circa 1543, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1955, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1675, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (4)

1598, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for tender

Adjective

Middle English tendre, tender, borrowed from Anglo-French tendre, going back to Latin tener "soft, delicate (of persons or parts of the body), immature, yielding easily, sensitive," probably by metathesis from *terenos or *terunos, going back to Indo-European, whence also Greek térēn "soft, tender," Sanskrit taruṇa- "young, tender, fresh," Avestan tauruna- "young," (as noun) "boy"

Note: Macrobius (early 5th century), in his Saturnalia, quotes Favorinus (ca. 80-160 A.D.) as claiming that terenus meant mollis ("soft") in Sabine; this form would support the hypothesis of metathesis in Latin tener. Ernout and Meillet (Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue latine, 4th edition, Paris, 1979) reject this etymology without comment, citing instead a possible connection with the ten- of tenēre, tendere, tenuis (see tenant entry 1, tender entry 3, thin entry 1).

Verb (1)

Middle English tendren, probably in part derivative of tendur tender entry 3, in part borrowed from its source, Anglo-French tendre

Note: The apparent use of the Anglo-French nominalized infinitive as an inflected verb in Middle English is paralleled by render entry 2. Cf. tend entry 1, a more regular borrowing of the stem of the same verb, in a different sense.

Noun (1)

Middle English tendur "grant of a license," borrowed from Anglo-French tendre "offer, offer in satisfaction of a debt," noun derivative from infinitive of tendre "to stretch, hold out, offer (a suit, plea, money), grant," going back to Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, direct (one's course), aim (at a purpose)," going back to Indo-European *ten- "stretch, extend" + *-d- (or *-dh-), suffixal extension of uncertain origin — more at tenant entry 1

Note: See note at tenant entry 1. The original past participle of tendere is tentus, which would appear to continue an Indo-European verbal adjective *tn̥-tos, whence also Greek tatós, derived directly from the base *ten- rather than from *tend-. The form tentus was largely replaced by tensus, presumably from *tend-tos, a regular derivative of the new formation tend-.

Noun (2)

probably short for tenderloin

Noun (3)

tend entry 2 + -er entry 2

Verb (2)

Middle English tendren "to become tender, care for, be concerned about," derivative of tender, tendre tender entry 1

Noun (4)

probably noun derivative of tender entry 1 or of tender entry 6 in sense "to be solicitous of"

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Cite this Entry

“Tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tender. Accessed 14 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for tender

tender

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of tender

: very loving and gentle : showing affection and love for someone or something

of food : easy to chew or bite : not tough

: painful when touched

See the full definition for tender in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tender

adjective

ten·der | \ ˈten-dər

tenderer; tenderest

Kids Definition of tender

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : not tough a tender steak

2 : delicate sense 4 tender plants

3 : young entry 1 sense 1 He left home at a tender age.

4 : feeling or showing love

5 : very easily hurt a tender scar His tender old feet moved from one smooth rock to another.— Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows.

tender

verb

tendered; tendering

Kids Definition of tender (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : to offer in payment

2 : to present for acceptance She tendered her resignation.

tender

noun

Kids Definition of tender (Entry 3 of 4)

1 : offer entry 2 sense 3

2 : something (as money) that may be offered in payment

tender

noun

tend·er | \ ˈten-dər

Kids Definition of tender (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : a boat that carries passengers or freight to a larger ship

2 : a car attached to a locomotive for carrying fuel or water

tender

adjective

ten·der | \ ˈten-dər

Medical Definition of tender

: sensitive to touch or palpation tender skin a tender palpable kidney

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tender

noun

ten·der

Legal Definition of tender

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : an act or instance of tendering

b : an unconditional offer of payment or performance (as in discharge of an obligation) that is coupled with a manifestation of willingness and ability to follow through (as by producing a check)

c : tender of delivery sufficient tender

2 : something offered in payment or performance specifically : money the proper amount of tender required — see also legal tender

tender

verb

Legal Definition of tender (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to make a tender of tender goods tender delivery tender payment tender performance

b : to offer as an amount in settlement of a claim by an injured party against an insured

Note: An insurance company might be obligated to tender the limits of a policy to an injured party when a higher amount is likely to be awarded at trial.

2 : to extend for acceptance or consideration (as in proof of something) especially in a proceeding tender a plea to the court tender an issue

3 : to offer for sale tender shares

intransitive verb

: to offer securities for sale make an informed decision to tender