Lexic.us

Definition of Tenor

1. Adjective. (of a musical instrument) intermediate between alto and baritone or bass. "A tenor sax"

2. Noun. The adult male singing voice above baritone.

3. Adjective. Of or close in range to the highest natural adult male voice. "Tenor voice"

4. Noun. The pitch range of the highest male voice.

5. Noun. An adult male with a tenor voice.

6. Noun. A settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life. "Nothing disturbed the even tenor of her ways"

7. Noun. The general meaning or substance of an utterance. "Although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument"

Definition of Tenor

1. n. A state of holding on in a continuous course; manner of continuity; constant mode; general tendency; course; career.

Definition of Tenor

1. Noun. (archaic music) Musical part or section that '''holds''' or performs the main melody, as opposed to the ''contratenor bassus'' and ''contratenor altus'', who perform countermelodies. ¹

2. Noun. (music) Musical range or section higher than bass and lower than alto. ¹

3. Noun. A person, instrument(,) or group that performs in the tenor (gloss higher than bass and lower than alto) range. ¹

4. Noun. Tone, as of a conversation. ¹

5. Noun. (linguistics) The subject in a metaphor to which attributes are ascribed. ¹

6. Adjective. of or pertaining to the tenor part or range ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Tenor

1. a high male singing voice [n -S]

Medical Definition of Tenor

1. 1. A state of holding on in a continuous course; manner of continuity; constant mode; general tendency; course; career. "Along the cool sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their away." (Gray) 2. That course of thought which holds on through a discourse; the general drift or course of thought; purport; intent; meaning; understanding. "When it [the bond] is paid according to the tenor." (Shak) "Does not the whole tenor of the divine law positively require humility and meekness to all men?" (Spart) 3. Stamp; character; nature. "This success would look like chance, if it were perpetual, and always of the same tenor." (Dryden) 4. An exact copy of a writing, set forth in the words and figures of it. It differs from purport, which is only the substance or general import of the instrument. 5. [F. Tenor, L. Tenor, properly, a holding; so called because the tenor was the voice which took and held the principal part, the plain song, air, or tune, to which the other voices supplied a harmony above and below: cf. It. Tenore. The higher of the two kinds of voices usually belonging to adult males; hence, the part in the harmony adapted to this voice; the second of the four parts in the scale of sounds, reckoning from the base, and originally the air, to which the other parts were auxillary. A person who sings the tenor, or the instrument that play it. Old Tenor, new Tenor, Middle Tenor, different descriptions of paper money, issued at different periods, by the American colonial governments in the last century. Origin: L, from tenere to hold; hence, properly, a holding on in a continued course: cf. F. Teneur. See Tenable, and cf. Tenor a kind of voice. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Tenor

tenontodynia tenontography tenontolemmitis tenontology tenontomyoplasty tenontomyotomy tenontoplastic tenontoplasty tenontosaur tenontosaurs

tenontothecitis tenophony tenophyte tenoplastic tenoplasty tenor (current term) tenor clef tenor clefs tenor drum tenor saxophonist

tenor voice tenoreceptor tenorial tenorist tenorists tenorite tenorites tenoroon tenoroons tenorrhaphy

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