tenor

[ ten-er ]

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.” Compare vehicle ( def 8 ).
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.

adjective

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

tenor

/ 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

tenor

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

Derived Forms

• ˈtenorless, adjective

Other Words From

• tenor·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenor¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenor¹

C13 (originally: general meaning or sense): from Old French tenour, from Latin tenor a continuous holding to a course, from tenēre to hold; musical sense via Italian tenore, referring to the voice part that was continuous, that is, to which the melody was assigned

Example Sentences

Just a scant few election cycles ago, the tenor of political debate featured losers who conceded, voters who didn't storm the Capitol and representatives who didn't try to overturn elections.

From Salon

There's this tenor of conversation that's leaked into the interview that has tainted the quality of coverage, or the ability to cover him.

From Salon

Such is the fierce tenor of the Trump campaign.

From Los Angeles Times

Vance, seeming eager to maintain the civil tenor of the interview, suddenly agreed, claiming that social media was creating that impression.

From Salon

But the tenor of this hearing was much more muted.

From BBC

Related Words

• gist
• mood
• theme
• tone