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Definition of tenor
1a : the highest natural adult male singing voice; also : a person having this voiceb : the voice part next to the lowest in a 4-part chorusc : a member of a family of instruments having a range next lower than that of the altod : the melodic line usually forming the cantus firmus in medieval music
2a : the drift of something spoken or written : purportb : an exact copy of a writing : transcriptc : the concept, object, or person meant in a metaphor
3 : a continuance in a course, movement, or activity
4 : habitual condition : character
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Examples of tenor in a Sentence
He has a high, lilting tenor.
She asked the tenors to sing the line again.
The tenor of his remarks is clear.
Recent Examples of tenor from the Web
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Legendary operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti famously sang to a tape at his concert in Modena, Italy, causing outrage among the audience—and the BBC, which had bought the rights to the concert and demanded some of its money back.
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The program will feature Dr. Joseph Talleda on the piano, Gerard Ortega, tenor, and Alvaro Bermudez on charango and guitar.
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Glee star Domenech contributes a honeyed tenor, and Szot powers his verses with an operatic baritone tinged with a whisper of a South American accent that anchors the gravity of his role in history.
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The slim, stylish former real estate executive addressed the crowd in a soft but confident tenor, revealing the New York influences around his vowels.
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The general tenor and stability of the administration has a lot of members of Congress shaking their heads.
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The general tenor and stability of the administration has a lot of members of Congress shaking their heads.
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The slim, stylish former real estate executive addressed the crowd in a soft but confident tenor, revealing the New York influences around his vowels.
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The fact that presidential contests are all or nothing—only one person, after all, can win –heightened the existential tenor of political competition.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tenor'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of tenor
Middle English tenour, from Anglo-French, from Latin tenor uninterrupted course, from tenēre to hold — more at thin
Synonym Discussion of tenor
tenor
Definition of tenor
: relating to or having the range or part of a tenor
Examples of tenor in a Sentence
Verdi wrote some difficult tenor parts.
She plays the tenor sax.
First Known Use of tenor
1522
TENOR Defined for English Language Learners
tenor
playDefinition of tenor for English Language Learners
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: the highest adult male singing voice; also : a singer who has such a voice
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: the general or basic quality or meaning of something
tenor
Definition of tenor for English Language Learners
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: having a range that is lower than an alto and higher than a baritone
TENOR Defined for Kids
tenor
playDefinition of tenor for Students
1 : the next to the lowest part in harmony having four parts
2 : the highest male singing voice
3 : a singer or an instrument having a tenor range or part
Learn More about tenor
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See words that rhyme with tenor Spanish Central: Translation of tenor Nglish: Translation of tenor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tenor for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tenor
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