🎤 A male singer 📝 General meaning 🎷 High male range

tenor

5.1

Relating to a high adult male singing voice

adjective
/ˈtɛnər/

: de tenor

The tenor voice soared above the rest in the choir performance.

Examples

He chose a beautiful aria that highlighted his tenor range during the audition.
In the opera, the lead actor played a tenor role that captivated the audience.
[TENOR SINGING IN ITALIAN]

Pushing Tin (1999)

Compounds

tenor voice

Specialized

1 4.3

A high adult male singing voice often used for solo parts

tenor saxophonist

1 5.4

A musician who plays the tenor saxophone

tenor clef

Specialized

7.9

A music sign that shows middle C on the fourth line of the staff used for cello or bassoon

tenor drum

4.8

A large drum with a small top that makes a sound between high and low

tenor of the conversation

5.2

The general mood of a talk that shows how people feel

How High

countertenor

Specialized

8.3

tenor

5.1

baritone

4.4

bass

89 4.9

Surface Forms

tenor positive

Etymology

Tenor as an adjective comes from the same root ten- 'to hold' and describes a voice or instrument in the higher adult male range that 'holds' or carries the tune. That's why we call a voice 'tenor' when it has that higher male sound.