tenor

American  

[ten-er] / ˈtɛn ər /

noun

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

• tenorless adjective

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

Example Sentences

These include tenors of more than 10 years and up to 25 years, as well as inflation-indexed bonds.

From The Wall Street Journal

This is that moment right after you get knocked down, right before you get up again and that emotional tenor proceeds for a lot of the novel.

From Los Angeles Times

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

The demonstrations in Iran took on a different tenor, initially spearheaded by conservative bazaar workers disgruntled at the collapse in Iran’s currency.

From The Wall Street Journal

This was the tenor of her deeply private relationship to long-term husband Carl Dean, who completely avoided the spotlight and passed away last year aged 82.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• gist
• mood
• theme
• tone