Etymology of the English word tenuous
the English word
tenuoususing the English suffix
-ousderived from the Latin suffix
-osusderived from the Latin word
tenuis (thin, fine; delicate)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*ten-derived from the English word
tenuityderived from the Old French word
tenuitederived from the Latin word
tenuitas (thinness, fineness, leanness)
derived from the Latin word
tenuis (thin, fine; delicate)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*ten-Date
The earliest known usage of tenuous in English dates from the 16th century.
Usage
Word found in Modern English
