tener

Disputed; either:

• From Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, draw”). Cognates would include Ancient Greek τείνω (teínō), Sanskrit तनोति (tanóti) and Old English þennan. (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)
• Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ter- (“soft, weak, tender; young, small”) with dissimilation or metathesis: according to M. de Vaan, from Proto-Italic *terenosalong with Sabine terenum (“soft”). Further cognates would include Epic Greek τέρην (térēn, “soft, gentle”), Old Armenian թոռն (tʻoṙn, “grandchild”), Middle Armenian թարմ (tʻarm, “fresh”) and Sanskrit तरुण (táruṇa, “young, tender, juvenile”), तर्ण (tárṇa, “calf”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈte.ner/, [ˈt̪ɛnɛr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈte.ner/, [ˈt̪ɛːner]

Adjective

tener (feminine tenera, neuter tenerum, comparative tenerior, superlative tenerrimus, adverb tenerē); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)

1. soft, delicate, tender
2. young, youthful
3. effeminate, sensitive
4. (poetic) erotic

Declension

First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er).

Number	Singular				Plural
Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter		Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	tener	tenera	tenerum		tenerī	tenerae	tenera
Genitive	tenerī	tenerae	tenerī		tenerōrum	tenerārum	tenerōrum
Dative	tenerō		tenerō		tenerīs
Accusative	tenerum	teneram	tenerum		tenerōs	tenerās	tenera
Ablative	tenerō	tenerā	tenerō		tenerīs
Vocative	tener	tenera	tenerum		tenerī	tenerae	tenera

Derived terms

• tenellulus
• tenerāscō
• tenerē
• teneritās