Meaning & use
tenor
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Meanings
nouncountablemusic
A man who sings in a high adult male range, or the range itself, just below the alto.
Grammar: Countable for a singer: two tenors. Also used before a noun: tenor voice.
Patterns
- a tenor in something
The tenor held the final note for several seconds.
He sang as a tenor in the church choir.
nounsingularformal
The general mood or direction of a speech, conversation, or piece of writing.
Grammar: Usually singular with the: the tenor of the meeting.
Patterns
- the tenor of something
The tenor of the debate became increasingly angry.
Nothing in the tenor of her letter suggested she was upset.
nouncountablemusic
A musical instrument whose range matches a tenor voice, such as a tenor saxophone.
Grammar: Often used before another noun: tenor sax, tenor horn.
He plays tenor in a jazz quartet.
The band added a tenor sax to its lineup.
Word forms
| plural | tenors |
|---|
Common combinations
- operatic tenor
- The operatic tenor received a long ovation.
- tenor saxophone
- She switched from alto to tenor saxophone.
- the tenor of the discussion
- The tenor of the discussion was calm and polite.
- change in tenor
- There was a noticeable change in tenor after lunch.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tone
- Tone is the attitude a speaker shows, while tenor is the overall character that runs through a whole discussion or text.
- drift
- Drift is the general meaning one picks up and is less formal than tenor.
Opposites
Commonly confused: tenor or tenure?
tenor vs tenure
Tenure is the period in which someone holds a position or property; tenor refers to a singing voice or a general mood.
Practice
The tenor of her speech was hopeful. Here, tenor means ___.
Choose one answer.
Tenor here means general mood or character. It does not mean length or volume, and it is not about who listened.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tenor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.