tenue

noun

te·​nue

tənᵫ̅

plural tenues " 

1

: bearing, carriage, deportment

the sacrifices made in the sacred name of tenue … the smiles amiably exchanged in public between mortal enemies

—Victoria Sackville-West

2

: mode of dress

the long black coat with the lavender trousers and mauve vest that must have been his tenue when he married his first wife

—Young's Magazine

Word History

Etymology

French, from feminine of tenu, past participle of tenir to hold, from Old French

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!