tenor

1 of 2

noun

ten·​or ˈte-nər 

1

a

: the highest natural adult male singing voice

also : a person having this voice

b

: the voice part next to the lowest in a 4-part chorus

c

: a member of a family of instruments having a range next lower than that of the alto

d

: the melodic line usually forming the cantus firmus in medieval music

2

a

: the drift of something spoken or written : purport

b

: an exact copy of a writing : transcript

c

: the concept, object, or person meant in a metaphor

3

: a continuance in a course, movement, or activity

4

: habitual condition : character

tenor

2 of 2

adjective

: relating to or having the range or part of a tenor

Choose the Right Synonym for tenor

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction.

tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces

the drift of the population away from large cities

or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

got the drift of her argument

tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

Examples of tenor in a Sentence

Noun

He has a high, lilting tenor.

She asked the tenors to sing the line again.

The tenor of his remarks is clear.

Adjective

Verdi wrote some difficult tenor parts.

She plays the tenor sax.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Los Angeles Times' current news coverage doesn't reflect the tenor of Soon-Shiong's posts, either, even though his X account identifies him as the paper's executive chairman. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 3 Feb. 2025

Instead, as sets burned to the ground, new locations were scouted the next day, the Oscars delayed the announcement of nominations, the Grammys decided to carry on as planned but transitioned the tenor of the evening to that of a fundraiser for musicians who lost everything in the fires. —Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2025

The Icehouse performance of the songs layered those recordings from over 100 years ago with the singer’s brassy tenor voice and flowing piano playing. —Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 27 Jan. 2025

Pritzker spoke in a more plain but still assertive tenor. —Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tenor, tenoure, tenure "main point of a document, intent of a legal agreement, continued presence or sustained course, part carrying the cantus firmus melody in contrapuntal music," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French tenur, tenure "import of a document," borrowed from Medieval Latin tenōr-, tenor "sustained course, continuity, condition, drift of a law or document, tone of the voice, cantus firmus melody in contrapuntal music," going back to Latin, "sustained course, continuity, tone of the voice," from tenēre "to hold, possess" + -ōr-, -or, going back to *-ōs-, deverbal noun suffix of state — more at tenant entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adjective

1522, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tenor

1 of 2 noun

ten·​or ˈten-ər 

1

: the general meaning of something spoken or written

the tenor of the book

2

a

: the next to lowest musical part in harmony for four parts compare alto sense 1b, bass entry 2 sense 1a, soprano entry 2 sense 1

b

: the highest natural adult male singing voice or a person who has such a voice

c

: a person or instrument performing a part next above a bass part

3

: a continuing in a course, movement, or activity

the tenor of my life

tenor

2 of 2 adjective

: relating to or having the range or part of a tenor