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Added 9 October 2026

tent

/tɛnt/ noun

In Latin: tabernāculum, tentōrium Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tent at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A pavilion or portable lodge consisting of skins, canvas, or some strong cloth, stretched and sustained by poles, used for sheltering people from the weather.
We were camping in a three-man tent.
The representation of a tent used as a bearing.
A portable pulpit set up outside to accommodate worshippers who cannot fit into a church.

verb

To go camping.
We’ll be tenting at the campground this weekend.
To prop up aluminum foil in an inverted "V" (reminiscent of a pop-up tent) over food to reduce splatter, before putting it in the oven.
To form into a tent-like shape.
The sheet tented over his midsection.

verb

To attend to; to heed.
To guard; to hinder.

noun

Attention; regard, care.
Intention; design.

Origin

From Middle English tente, borrowed from Old French tente, from Vulgar Latin *tenta (“tent”), from the feminine of Latin tentus, ptp. of tendere (“to stretch, extend”), or contracted from *tendita as an alternate past participle. Displaced native Middle English tild, tilt (“tent, tilt”), from Old English teld (“tent”). Compare Spanish tienda (“store, shop; tent”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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