tenderloin

noun

ten·der·loin | \ ˈten-dər-ˌlȯin

How to pronounce tenderloin (audio)

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Definition of tenderloin

1 : a strip of tender meat consisting of a large internal muscle of the loin on each side of the vertebral column

2 [ from its making possible a luxurious diet for a corrupt police officer ] : a district of a city largely devoted to vice

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Did You Know?

A tenderloin, of course, is a juicy and tasty cut of meat. In the late 19th century, however, Tenderloin saw use as a nickname for the neighborhood of midtown Manhattan, west of Broadway and below 42nd Street. This district, which contained numerous bordellos, gambling houses, and watering holes, alongside theaters and hotels, became a hotbed of corruption - and, it was alleged by some, blackmail by police. The notion of dishonest law enforcers being able to afford a nice meal off activity in this district is believed to have given the Tenderloin its name. Soon the term was applied to similarly seedy districts in other cities.

Examples of tenderloin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Season pork tenderloins with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. — The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, Good Housekeeping, "Apricot Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Peppers," 27 July 2018 File photo Paul's pork tenderloin, a customer favorite that costs $6.98, comes in a basket of golden fries and onion rings. — Sarah Gish, kansascity, "Batter up: Here are 18 KC-area places to get perfect, golden-fried onion rings," 21 June 2018 Also, only steaks with a lot of marbling benefit from aging, so don't worry about buying dry-aged lean cuts like tenderloin. — Nick Kindelsperger, chicagotribune.com, "Why dry-aged steak is superior, and where to buy it in Chicago for cooking at home," 14 June 2018 Once marinated, cook the tenderloin slices undisturbed in a very hot nonstick skillet with a slick of vegetable oil. — Aliza Abarbanel, Bon Appetit, "A Spicy Pork Tenderloin Bowl That's So Easy You Hardly Need This Recipe," 30 May 2018 To cook tenderloins: Heat stainess or cast iron skillet to medium high. — House Beautiful, "Carla Hall's BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Beet, Carrot & Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Lemon Vinaigrette," 20 July 2012 One place gives you a free beer with your tenderloin. — Liz Biro, Indianapolis Star, "These are the best Indianapolis food and drink events in July," 29 June 2018 Choose from a tenderloin, ($45), ribeye ($54) or New York strip ($50). — Audrey Gorden, RedEye Chicago, "DIY and dine: 10 build-your-own, customizable foods in Chicago," 20 Sep. 2017 Pour 2 teaspoons of olive oil in pan and place tenderloins in skillet. — House Beautiful, "Carla Hall's BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Beet, Carrot & Cabbage Slaw with Spicy Lemon Vinaigrette," 20 July 2012

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tenderloin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near tenderloin

tender loving care

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9 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for tenderloin

The first known use of tenderloin was circa 1828

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More Definitions for tenderloin

tenderloin

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tenderloin

: a piece of very tender meat from the back of a cow or pig

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