tenuous

Meanings

• adjective

  slender, fragile, or uncertain in existence; not firmly established

  - "The tenuous connection between the two ideas was the only thing keeping them together."
  - "Despite the tenuous nature of the truce, both sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire."

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Synonyms

delicate , gossamer , ethereal

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with tenuous
delusive , precious , evasive , persuasive

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Variants

List of all variants of tenuous that leads to same result
tenuous , tenuously , tenuousness , tenuousnesses

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

From the Latin tenuis, meaning 'thin, delicate, or weak'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term tenuous is often used in scientific contexts to describe thin or delicate structures, such as the tenuous atmosphere of a planet.

2. In mathematics, a tenuous function is a function that is nowhere continuous but has a certain degree of continuity at most points.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. fragile: Related concept that shares the meaning of being easily damaged or broken.

2. uncertain: Related concept that shares the meaning of lacking clear or definite knowledge.

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Quotes

Quotes by authors and personalities

1. The authors follow researchers as they use the slimmest leads and the most "tenuous" connections to track the genes for Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy, schizophrenia and a host of other physical and mental miseries.

   - Natalie Angier,{it}New York Times Book Review{/it},12 Aug. 1990

2. After the end of the crusading period, however relations between East and West had grown "tenuous" …

   - Albert Hourani,{it}Islam in European Thought{/it},1991

3. What is also true is that they, and I, were lucky, through genes or fate, to surge through the maelstrom of dashed hope and denied opportunity to grasp a "tenuous" piece of the American Dream.

   - Anthony Walton,{it}Lure and Loathing{/it},1993

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, the term 'tenuous' is often used to describe relationships or connections that are fragile or uncertain. In art, tenuous can refer to thin or delicate materials used in sculpture or painting.

How to Memorize "tenuous"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine a thin, fragile thread that can easily be broken. This is the essence of the word tenuous.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the word tenuous with the idea of something that is fragile or uncertain.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering the Latin root tenuis, which means 'thin' or 'delicate'.

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