English · Word Candidate

tender

/ˈtɛn.dəː/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: tenderer · tenderest · tenders · tendering

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Sensitive or painful to the touch.

Adjective

[…]poore Lord, is't I That chaſe thee from thy Countrie, and expoſe Thoſe tender limbes of thine[…]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.

Adjective

tender plants

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

tenderly

Adverb

Love me tender, love me sweet Never let me go

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “tender” mean?

Sensitive or painful to the touch.

Is “tender” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.