Definition

1. Noun:
   • A feeling of gentle concern, care, or affection: A warm, kind, and compassionate feeling towards someone or something, often involving a desire to protect or nurture.
   • The quality of being easily hurt or injured; sensitivity to pain: The state of a part of the body being sore, painful, or sensitive when touched.
   • The quality of being delicate, soft, or gentle in texture or nature: A characteristic of something that is not rough or harsh.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Affection/Care):
  • She spoke to the child with great tenderness.
  • His tenderness towards animals was evident in how he cared for them.
• Noun (Physical Sensitivity):
  • There is some tenderness around the wound.
  • The doctor noted point tenderness in the patient's abdomen.
• Noun (Gentle Quality):
  • The tenderness of the spring leaves was a beautiful sight.

Advanced Usage

• "Tenderness of heart": A phrase describing a person's innate kindness and capacity for compassion.
  • Despite his tough exterior, he was known for his tenderness of heart.
• "With tenderness": An adverbial phrase meaning to do something in a gentle, caring manner.
  • He handled the fragile artifact with tenderness.

Variants and Related Words

• Tender (adjective): 1. Showing gentleness, kindness, and affection. 2. (Of food) Easy to cut or chew; not tough. 3. (Of a part of the body) Painful to the touch.
  • She gave him a tender look.
  • The steak was remarkably tender.
  • My arm is still tender from the injection.
• Tenderly (adverb): In a gentle, loving, or careful way.
  • He held the baby tenderly.

Synonyms

• Affection: A gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
• Compassion: Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
• Soreness: Pain in a part of the body.
• Gentleness: The quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.

Related Phrases

• Point of maximum tenderness: (Medical) The specific spot where pain is most acute when pressure is applied.
  • The examination located the point of maximum tenderness.

Related Idioms

• To handle/treat with kid gloves: To deal with someone or something very carefully and gently, often due to sensitivity. (This idiom relates conceptually to the idea of "tenderness" in treatment.)
  • After the bad news, we had to handle him with kid gloves.

Noun

1. a feeling of concern for the welfare of someone (especially someone defenseless)
2. a positive feeling of liking
   • he had trouble expressing the affection he felt
   • the child won everyone's heart
   • the warmness of his welcome made us feel right at home
3. warm compassionate feelings
4. a pain that is felt (as when the area is touched)
   • the best results are generally obtained by inserting the needle into the point of maximum tenderness
   • after taking a cold, rawness of the larynx and trachea come on
5. a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling