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tenable

[ ten-uh-buhl ]
/ ˈtɛn ə bəl /
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See synonyms for: tenable / tenability on Thesaurus.com
adjective
capable of being held, maintained, or defended, as against attack or dispute: a tenable theory.
capable of being occupied, possessed, held, or enjoyed, as under certain conditions: a research grant tenable for two years.
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Origin of tenable

1570–80; <French: that can be held, equivalent to ten(ir) to hold (≪ Latin tenēre) + -able-able

OTHER WORDS FROM tenable

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to tenable

arguable, defensible, justifiable, plausible, rational, believable, condonable, credible, defendable, excusable, impregnable, maintainable, reliable, secure, sound, strong, trustworthy, viable, vindicable, warrantable

How to use tenable in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tenable

tenable
/ (ˈtɛnəbəl) /
adjective
able to be upheld, believed, maintained, or defended

Derived forms of tenable

tenability or tenableness, nountenably, adverb

Word Origin for tenable

C16: from Old French, from tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre
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
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