tent

¹ American  

[tent] / tɛnt /

noun

1. a portable shelter of skins, canvas, plastic, or the like, supported by one or more poles or a frame and often secured by ropes fastened to pegs in the ground.

2. something that resembles a tent.

3. tent dress.

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verb (used with object)

1. to lodge in tents.

2. to cover with or as if with a tent.

   In winter the tennis courts are tented in plastic.

verb (used without object)

1. to live in a tent; encamp.

tent ² American  

[tent] / tɛnt /

noun

1. a roll or pledget, usually of soft absorbent material, as lint or gauze, for dilating an orifice, keeping a wound open, etc.

2. a probe.

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verb (used with object)

1. to keep (a wound) open with a tent.

tent ³ American  

[tent] / tɛnt /

verb (used with object)

Chiefly Scot.

1. to give or pay attention to; heed.

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tent ¹ British  

/ tɛnt /

noun

1. 1. a portable shelter of canvas, plastic, or other waterproof material supported on poles and fastened to the ground by pegs and ropes

   2. ( as modifier )

      tent peg

2. something resembling this in function or shape

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verb

1. (intr) to camp in a tent

2. (tr) to cover with or as if with a tent or tents

3. (tr) to provide with a tent as shelter

tent ² British  

/ tɛnt /

noun

1. heed; attention

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verb

1. to pay attention to; take notice of

2. to attend to

tent ³ British  

/ tɛnt /

noun

1. a plug of soft material for insertion into a bodily canal, etc, to dilate it or maintain its patency

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verb

1. (tr) to insert such a plug into (a bodily canal, etc)

tent ⁴ British  

/ tɛnt /

noun

1. obsolete a red table wine from Alicante, Spain

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Other Word Forms

• tented adjective
• tenter noun
• tentless adjective
• tentlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of tent¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English tente, from Old French, from Latin tenta, feminine of tentus, past participle of tendere “to extend, stretch”

Origin of tent²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English tent(e), teint(e) “a probe,” from Middle French tente “a probe, roll of lint,” noun derivative of tenter, from Latin tentāre, variant of temptāre tempt

Origin of tent³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, tente(n), “to plan, intend, look after,” derivative of tent(e) “attention,” shortening of attent, past participle of attenden “to pay attention to, heed,” from Old French atente “attention, intention,” from Latin attenta, feminine of attentus, past participle of attendere to attend

Example Sentences

“It’s nobody’s fault but my own, but I just feel it’s unfair,” said Torres, who now lives in a tent in Chinatown.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

I’m not saying my USB-charged fan kept me from a trip to the medical tent in 2025, but I’m not NOT saying it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

"We lived like kings in our homes. Our life has become an ordeal," the old man said through tears, sitting on a mattress in his tent.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

In the past, I’ve accidentally given incorrect public transit information when writing about how to get to a museum, or reported the wrong number of poles in the product description for a tent.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2026

There was a loud snore from within the tent.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• canvas
• pavilion