tenor

American  

[ten-er] / ˈtɛn ər /

noun

tenors plural

1. the course of thought or meaning that runs through something written or spoken; purport; drift.

   Synonyms:

   gist, substance, content, import, sense

2. continuous course, progress, or movement.

3. Rhetoric. the subject of a metaphor, as “she” in “She is a rose.”

4. Music.

   1. the adult male voice intermediate between the bass and the alto or countertenor.

   2. a part sung by or written for such a voice, especially the next to the lowest part in four-part harmony.

   3. a singer with such a voice.

   4. an instrument corresponding in compass to this voice, especially the viola.

   5. the lowest-toned bell of a peal.

5. quality, character, or condition.

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adjective

1. Music. of, relating to, or having the compass of a tenor.

tenor British  

/ ˈtɛnə /

noun

1. music

   1. the male voice intermediate between alto and baritone, having a range approximately from the B a ninth below middle C to the G a fifth above it

   2. a singer with such a voice

   3. a saxophone, horn, recorder, etc, intermediate in compass and size between the alto and baritone or bass

   4. ( as modifier )

      a tenor sax

2. general drift of thought; purpose

   to follow the tenor of an argument

3. 1. (in early polyphonic music) the part singing the melody or the cantus firmus

   2. (in four-part harmony) the second lowest part lying directly above the bass

4. Leisure:Bell-ringing

   1. the heaviest and lowest-pitched bell in a ring

   2. ( as modifier )

      a tenor bell

5. a settled course of progress

6. archaic general tendency

7. finance the time required for a bill of exchange or promissory note to become due for payment

8. law

   1. the exact words of a deed, etc, as distinct from their effect

   2. an exact copy or transcript

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tenor Cultural  

1. The highest range of the male singing voice. (Compare baritone and bass.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• tenorless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tenors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tenor

1250–1300; < Medieval Latin, Latin: course, continuity, tone, equivalent to ten ( ēre ) to hold + -or -or ¹; replacing Middle English ten ( o ) ur < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

Explanation

Think of a tenor as a tone — in music, it's the range between baritone and alto in the human voice or in an instrument such as a tenor saxophone. It also is the "tone" or meaning of a spoken comment. The meaning of the Latin word tenere, was "to hold to a course." Then the Old French took the word tenour in the 14th Century, giving it the meaning of “sense,” or a general feeling of a comment. But that same century, the original meaning resurfaced when the word entered the musical lexicon as the Italian tenore, or tenor, the name given to the high male voice because that was the voice that carried, or “held on to” the melody.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tenor tenors

You can see it in the facial expressions of our political leaders and hear it in the tenor and tone of their voices.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

That same year, he released his first solo album, “Sixteen,” fully showcasing his outstanding dance ability, youthful swagger and velvety tenor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

Micron’s blowout earnings, however, will define the early Thursday tenor and likely take the Nasdaq Composite back 26,000 in the opening minutes of trading.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

As Juliet, Emma Marhefka’s lyric soprano was best in dramatic moments, such as Act 4’s poison aria; as Romeo, Leonardo Sánchez tended to overcook his tenor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Bonds include those with tenors of up to 1 year and those with tenors more than 10 years and up to 25 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026

Moreover, JGBs will probably be supported by the BOJ’s scheduled outright purchases of four sectors of the JGB market, including sovereign debt with tenors of more than 5 years and up to 10 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

The issuance in both currencies was distributed across multiple tenors but was most notable for the offer of GBP bonds with 100-year maturity.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 10, 2026

"He was one of the greatest Mozart tenors in the world. From La Scala to the Met and Covent Garden. The beauty of his voice, his sensitivity, lyricism and refined musicianship was unsurpassed."

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2025

It was easier for Chester to play the ones written for tenors than the ones for sopranos, contraltos, and basses, but he did them all beautifully.

From "The Cricket in Times Square" by George Selden

Related Words

• gist
• mood
• theme
• tone