tender
1[ ten-der ]
/ ˈtɛn dər /
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adjective, ten·der·er, ten·der·est.
noun
Usually ten·ders .
- a strip of chicken meat loosely attached to the underside of each breast half, along the breastbone.
- a boneless and skinless strip of chicken cut from the breast or thigh.
verb (used with object)
to make tender: He tendered the meat in his special marinade before throwing it on the grill.
Archaic. to regard or treat tenderly.
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Origin of tender
1First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, variant of tendre, from Old French, from Latin tenerum, accusative of tener “tender”
OTHER WORDS FROM tender
ten·der·ly, adverbten·der·ness, nounself-ten·der·ness, nounOther definitions for tender (2 of 3)
tender2
[ ten-der ]
/ ˈtɛn dər /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to make or submit a bid (often followed by for).
noun
Origin of tender
2First recorded in 1535–45; earlier tendre, noun use of Anglo-French tendre “to extend, offer”; see tend1
synonym study for tender
1. See offer.
OTHER WORDS FROM tender
ten·der·er, nounOther definitions for tender (3 of 3)
tender3
[ ten-der ]
/ ˈtɛn dər /
noun
a person who tends; a person who attends to or takes charge of someone or something.
an auxiliary ship employed to attend one or more other ships, as for supplying provisions.
a dinghy carried or towed by a yacht.
Railroads. a car attached to a steam locomotive for carrying fuel and water.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use tender in a sentence
I had impressed upon him that this was essential in order to test the bona fides of the tenderers.
The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon|Jos Maria Gordon
British Dictionary definitions for tender (1 of 3)
tender1
/ (ˈtɛndə) /
adjective
verb
(tr) rare
- to make tender
- to treat tenderly
Derived forms of tender
tenderly, adverbtenderness, nounWord Origin for tender
C13: from Old French tendre, from Latin tener delicate
British Dictionary definitions for tender (2 of 3)
tender2
/ (ˈtɛndə) /
verb
(tr) to give, present, or offerto tender one's resignation; tender a bid
(intr foll by for) to make a formal offer or estimate for (a job or contract)
(tr) law to offer (money or goods) in settlement of a debt or claim
noun
the act or an instance of tendering; offer
commerce a formal offer to supply specified goods or services at a stated cost or rate
something, esp money, used as an official medium of paymentlegal tender
Derived forms of tender
tenderable, adjectivetenderer, nounWord Origin for tender
C16: from Anglo-French tendre, from Latin tendere to extend; see tend 1
British Dictionary definitions for tender (3 of 3)
tender3
/ (ˈtɛndə) /
noun
a small boat, such as a dinghy, towed or carried by a yacht or ship
a vehicle drawn behind a steam locomotive to carry the fuel and water
an ancillary vehicle used to carry supplies, spare parts, etc, for a mobile operation, such as an outside broadcast
a person who tends
Word Origin for tender
C15: variant of attender
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
Medical definitions for tender
tender
[ tĕn′dər ]
adj.
Easily crushed or bruised; fragile.
Easily hurt; sensitive.
Painful; sore.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Other Idioms and Phrases with tender
tender
see leave to someone's tender mercies.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.