The origin of words: TENDER

Tender dates back to the early 13th century. The adjective, meaning ‘soft or delicate’ as well as ‘young,’ came into English from the Old French tendre. It can be traced back to the Latin tenerem, which could mean ‘soft or delicate’ or ‘youthful or young.’ Its origin can be found in the Proto-Indo-European root ten-, which meant ‘to stretch’ (therefore, figuratively, to make thin or weak). It is related to the Sanskrit tarunah (young, tender), the Greek teren (‘tender or delicate), and the Armenian t’arm (young, fresh, green), as well as many Romance-language equivalents. The meaning ‘kind, loving or affectionate’ first appeared in the early 14th century, as did ‘immature’ and ‘delicate.’ The noun, meaning ‘a person who tends to another,’ dates back to the late 15th century, and is only loosely related to the adjective. It comes from the verb tend, a shortened form of attend, which came into English from the Old French atendre, and can be traced back to the Latin attendere) literally, ‘to stretch towards,’ but figuratively ‘to give heed to’), and the same PIE as above. It was extended to those in certain professions, such as bartenders, in the 19th century. The verb tender, meaning ‘to offer formally,’ is also loosely related to the adjective. It dates back to the mid-16th century, and comes from the Old French tendre (to offer or hold forth), from the Latin tendere (to stretch or extend), again from the same PIE root. The noun comes from the verb, and also dates back to the mid-16th century.