tenderness

UK: /ˈtɛndə^rnɪs/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ten•der¹ /ˈtɛndɚ/   adj., -er, -est, v. 
adj. 

1. soft or delicate in substance:
   a tender steak.
2. weak or delicate in constitution:
   tender skin that bruises easily.
3. young or immature:
   [before a noun] children of a tender age.
4. delicate or gentle:
   the tender touch of her hand.
5. easily moved to sympathy or compassion;
   kind:
   a tender heart.
6. affectionate or sentimental:
   gave her a tender glance.
7. sharply or painfully sensitive:
   a tender bruise on his eye.
8. of a delicate nature and requiring careful handling:
   The question of his wife working for the company is a tender subject with him.

ten•der•ly, adv. 

: held the baby tenderly in her arms.

ten•der•ness, n. [uncountable] See -tend-.

ten•der² /ˈtɛndɚ/   v. [~ + object]

1. to present formally for acceptance:
   to tender one's resignation.

n. 

2. [countable] the act of tendering.
3. [uncountable] something tendered or offered, esp. money.
4. Business [countable] an offer made in writing by one party to another to perform certain work, etc., at a given cost;
   a bid.

ten•der•er, n. [countable]

tend•er³ /ˈtɛndɚ/   n. [countable]

1. one who attends to someone or something.
2. Nautical, Naval Terms a ship that attends other ships, as for supplying materials, etc.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ten•der¹  (ten′dər), adj., -er, -est, v. 
adj. 

1. soft or delicate in substance;
   not hard or tough:
   a tender steak.
2. weak or delicate in constitution;
   not strong or hardy.
3. Botany (of plants) unable to withstand freezing temperatures.
4. young or immature:
   children of tender age.
5. delicate or soft in quality:
   tender blue.
6. delicate, soft, or gentle:
   the tender touch of her hand.
7. easily moved to sympathy or compassion;
   kind:
   a tender heart.
8. affectionate or loving;
   sentimental or amatory:
   a tender glance.
9. considerate or careful;
   chary or reluctant (usually fol. by of ).
10. acutely or painfully sensitive:
    a tender bruise.
11. easily distressed;
    readily made uneasy:
    a tender conscience.
12. yielding readily to force or pressure;
    easily broken;
    fragile.
13. of a delicate or ticklish nature;
    requiring careful or tactful handling:
    a tender subject.
14. Nautical, Naval Terms crank² (def. 1).

v.t. 

15. to make tender.
16. [Archaic.] to regard or treat tenderly.

• Latin tenerum, accusative of tener tender
• Old French
• Middle English, variant of tendre 1175–1225

ten′der•ly, adv. 
ten′der•ness, n. 

ten•der²  (ten′dər), v.t. 

1. to present formally for acceptance;
   make formal offer of:
   to tender one's resignation.
2. to offer or proffer.
3. Law to offer, as money or goods, in payment of a debt or other obligation, esp. in exact accordance with the terms of the law and of the obligation.

v.i. 

4. Economics to make or submit a bid (often fol. by for).

n. 

5. the act of tendering;
   an offer of something for acceptance.
6. something tendered or offered, esp. money, as in payment.
7. Business [Com.] an offer made in writing by one party to another to execute certain work, supply certain commodities, etc., at a given cost;
   bid.
8. Law an offer, as of money or goods, in payment or satisfaction of a debt or other obligation.

• earlier tendre, noun, nominal use of Anglo-French tendre to extend, offer. See tend¹ 1535–45

ten′der•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See offer. 
• 5. proposal, proffer.

tend•er³  (ten′dər), n. 

1. a person who tends;
   a person who attends to or takes charge of someone or something.
2. Nautical, Naval Terms an auxiliary ship employed to attend one or more other ships, as for supplying provisions.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms a dinghy carried or towed by a yacht.
4. Rail Transport a car attached to a steam locomotive for carrying fuel and water.

• 1425–75; late Middle English; origin, originally aphetic variant of attender; see tend², -er¹