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Origin and history of tenon

tenon(n.)

in carpentry, joinery, ironwork, etc., "the projection inserted to make a joint," late 14c.,tenoun, from Anglo-Frenchtenoun, Old Frenchtenon "a tenon," from Old Frenchtenir "to hold" (seetenet). As a verb from 1590s, "joined by or as by tenons" (originally figurative). As "make fit for insertion into a mortise" by 1771. Related:Tenoned.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to tenon

tenet(n.)

"principle, opinion, or dogma maintained as true by a person, sect, school, etc.," properly "a thing held (to be true)," early 15c., from Latintenet "he holds," third person singular present indicative oftenere "to hold, grasp, keep, have possession, maintain," also "reach, gain, acquire, obtain; hold back, repress, restrain;" figuratively "hold in mind, take in, understand" (from PIE root*ten- "to stretch"). The connecting notion between "stretch" and "hold" is "cause to maintain."

The modern sense is probably becausetenet was used in Medieval Latin to introduce a statement of doctrine.

*ten-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stretch," with derivatives meaning "something stretched, a string; thin."

It might form all or part of:abstain;abstention;abstinence;abstinent;atelectasis;attend;attenuate;attenuation;baritone;catatonia;catatonic;contain;contend;continue;detain;detente;detention;diatonic;distend;entertain;extend;extenuate;hypotenuse;hypotonia;intend;intone (v.1) "to sing, chant;"isotonic;lieutenant;locum-tenens;maintain;monotony;neoteny;obtain;ostensible;peritoneum;pertain;pertinacious;portend;pretend;rein;retain;retinue;sitar;subtend;sustain;tantra;telangiectasia;temple (n.1) "building for worship;"temple (n.2) "flattened area on either side of the forehead;"temporal;tenable;tenacious;tenacity;tenant;tend (v.1) "to incline, to move in a certain direction;"tendency;tender (adj.) "soft, easily injured;"tender (v.) "to offer formally;"tendon;tendril;tenement;tenesmus;tenet;tennis;tenon;tenor;tense (adj.) "stretched tight;"tensile;tension;tensor;tent (n.) "portable shelter;"tenterhooks;tenuous;tenure;tetanus;thin;tone;tonic.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrittantram "loom,"tanoti "stretches, lasts,"tanuh "thin," literally "stretched out;" Persiantar "string;" Lithuaniantankus "compact," i.e. "tightened;" Greekteinein "to stretch,"tasis "a stretching, tension,"tenos "sinew,"tetanos "stiff, rigid,"tonos "string," hence "sound, pitch;" Latintenere "to hold, grasp, keep, have possession, maintain,"tendere "to stretch,"tenuis "thin, rare, fine;" Old Church Slavonictento "cord;" Old Englishþynne "thin."