tenor Hear it!

tenor definition

tenor (tenər)

noun

  1. general course or tendency the even tenor of my life
  2. general meaning; drift; purport
  3. in a metaphor, that term or concept that is described in a figurative way by the vehicle
  4. Obsolete general character or nature
  5. the exact wording or an exact copy of a legal document
    1. Etymology: ME < MFr tenour < It tenore < L tenor, a holding: the tenor voice “held” the melody (canto fermo)

      the range of a voice, often, specif., an adult male voice, between baritone and countertenor, usually from about an octave below middle C to an octave above
    2. a voice or singer with such a range
    3. an instrument with a similar range within its family, as a tenor saxophone
    4. a part for such a voice or instrument
  6. in four-part harmony, the second lowest part
  7. in a set of bells for ringing changes, the bell with the lowest tone

Etymology: OFr < L tenere, to hold: see tenant

adjective

of, for, or having the range of a tenor

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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