se-tenant

or se ten·ant

[ suh-ten-uhnt, set-n-ahn, suh-tuh-nahn ]

/ səˈtɛn ənt, ˌsɛt nˈɑ̃, sə təˈnɑ̃ /

Save This Word!

noun Philately.

a group of stamps that differ in color, value, or design but are printed together on the same sheet and are collected without separating the stamps.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON OPPOSITES OF RED BEFORE YOU TURN SCARLET

We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red?

Question 1 of 7

Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR?

white

green

red

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of se-tenant

1910–15; <French: literally, standing, remaining, holding together, equivalent to se 3rd singular reflexive pronoun + tenant present participle of tenir to hold (see tenant)

Words nearby se-tenant

set back on one's heels, set back the clock, set by, set chisel, set down, se-tenant, set eyes on, set fire to, set foot, set forth, set forward

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use se-tenant in a sentence

These accusations against the 77-year-old comic are not—for the most part—actually news, per se.
It’s Not Just Cosby: Hollywood’s Long List of Male Scumbags|Asawin Suebsaeng|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This was not a musical performance, per se, but you bet your ass this was a “performance”—albeit a well-intentioned and noble one.
Butts, ‘Bang Bang’ & Beyoncé: The Craziest MTV Video Music Awards Moments|Kevin Fallon|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the law itself is hard to enforce unless there is a specific complaint about a tenant.
Inside Uber’s Political War Machine|Olivia Nuzzi|June 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was not a retrial per se, but rather a fresh look at the appeal process that freed Knox.
Italian Judge Explains Why Amanda Knox Did It|Barbie Latza Nadeau|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The state has a nonpartisan "jungle primary," so there is no GOP nominee per se.
With Incumbents To Protect, The Tea Party Is Now Playing Defense|Michelle Cottle|March 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Il avoit sa belle robe soubs soy (car c'estoit en est), et se preparoit sa harangue funebre.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
L'adieu et le deuil se clost par l'occision des chiens ce que le mourant ait des avants-coureurs en l'autre monde.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Arrivs, Monsieur de Biancourt se mit en armes, pour en cet arroy aller veoir Meteourmite.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Ainsy se passa cette visite, et une autre que je fis depuis.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Ce fut lors que nos gens se penserent estre veritablement prins, et j tout n'estoit que clameur et tumulte.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for se-tenant

se tenant

/ French (sə tənɑ̃) /

adjective

denoting two postage stamps of different face values and sometimes of different designs in an unseparated pair

noun

such a pair of stamps

Word Origin for se tenant

literally: holding together

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012