Three Words Spelled Tender
Tender means soft, but it also means a formal offer and a supporting vehicle. The three senses come from different roots entirely.
Tender looks like one word doing three jobs, and is really three words that collided. The adjective meaning soft comes from Latin *tener*, delicate. The noun meaning a formal offer comes from *tendere*, to stretch out — you extend an offer. And the tender behind a steam locomotive comes from *tend*, to attend to. *Legal tender* belongs to the second: money offered in payment that cannot be refused.
- Soft or gentle. *A tender steak.*
- Painful to touch. *The bruise is tender.*
- A formal offer. *Put the work out to tender.*
- A supporting vehicle or boat. *The locomotive and its tender.*
- Legal tender — money that must be accepted. *No longer legal tender.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | tender | Tender meat. |
| Adverb | tenderly | She spoke tenderly. |
| Noun | tender | A sealed tender. |
| Verb | tender | Tender your resignation. |
| Noun | tenderness | Abdominal tenderness. |
- Cook until the meat is tender.The adjective.
- Three firms submitted tenders.Procurement.
- He tendered his resignation that evening.The verb: formally offered.
What legal tender actually means
- A narrow legal term — money that cannot be refused in settlement of a debt
- Not the same as what a shop must accept for a purchase
- Shops may refuse any payment method before a contract is made
- Scottish notes are not legal tender even in Scotland, which surprises people
- The point is about discharging debts, not about shopping
The adjective is Old French *tendre*, from Latin *tener*. The offer sense is Old French *tendre*, from Latin *tendere*, to stretch. The vehicle sense is from English *tend*, to attend.
Are the tender senses related?
No. Soft comes from Latin tener; the offer comes from tendere, to stretch out; the vehicle comes from tend, to attend.
Can a shop refuse legal tender?
Yes, before a debt exists. Legal tender governs the settlement of debts, not whether a trader must sell you something.