tenter

UK: /ˈtɛntə/ US: (ten′tər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ten•ter  (ten′tər), n. 

1. Textiles a framework on which cloth in the process of manufacture is stretched so it may set or dry evenly.
2. Textiles [Obs.] a tenterhook.

v.t. 

3. Textiles to stretch (cloth) on a tenter or tenters.

v.i. 

4. Textiles to be capable of being tentered.

• Latin tentus, variant of tēnsus tense¹) + -er¹; replacing Middle English teyntur, of unclear derivation
• Middle English tente to stretch (1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tenter / ˈtɛntə/ noun

1. a frame on which cloth is stretched during the manufacturing process in order that it may retain its shape while drying
2. a person who stretches cloth on a tenter

verb

1. (transitive) to stretch (cloth) on a tenter

Etymology: 14th Century: from Medieval Latin tentōrium, from Latin tentus stretched, from tendere to stretch