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Tenderness: meaning, definitions and examples

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tenderness

 

[ ˈtɛndərnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

feeling of affection

Tenderness is a feeling of warmth and affection towards someone or something. It is a gentle and caring attitude that shows love and compassion.

Synonyms

affection, compassion, warmth

Examples of usage

  • She showed great tenderness towards her newborn baby.
  • His eyes were filled with tenderness as he looked at her.
Context #2 | Noun

physical sensitivity

Tenderness can also refer to physical sensitivity, especially when describing a part of the body that is sore or painful to the touch.

Synonyms

painfulness, sensitivity, soreness

Examples of usage

  • The tenderness in her shoulder made it difficult for her to lift her arm.
  • He winced in pain at the tenderness of the bruise.
Context #3 | Noun

gentleness

Tenderness can also describe a quality of gentleness or delicacy in a person's character or behavior.

Synonyms

gentleness, kindness, softness

Examples of usage

  • His tenderness towards animals showed his kind heart.
  • She spoke with tenderness in her voice, showing her caring nature.

Translations

Translations of the word "tenderness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ternura

🇮🇳 कोमलता

🇩🇪 Zärtlichkeit

🇮🇩 kelembutan

🇺🇦 ніжність

🇵🇱 czułość

🇯🇵 優しさ (yasashisa)

🇫🇷 tendresse

🇪🇸 ternura

🇹🇷 şefkat

🇰🇷 부드러움 (budeureoum)

🇸🇦 حنان (hanan)

🇨🇿 něžnost

🇸🇰 nežnosť

🇨🇳 温柔 (wēnróu)

🇸🇮 nežnost

🇮🇸 blíða

🇰🇿 мейірімділік

🇬🇪 სითბო (sitbo)

🇦🇿 zəriflik

🇲🇽 ternura

Etymology

The word 'tenderness' originated from the Old French word 'tendre', which means 'soft, delicate'. It first appeared in the English language in the early 14th century. Over time, 'tenderness' has evolved to describe not only physical sensitivity but also emotional warmth and affection. The concept of tenderness has been explored in literature, art, and music as a fundamental aspect of human relationships and emotions.

See also: tenderer, tenderfoot, tenderize, tenderly.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,313 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.