英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

tennis (n.)[tennis 词源字典]: mid-14c., most likely from Anglo-French tenetz "hold! receive! take!," from Old French tenez, imperative of tenir "to hold, receive, take" (see tenet), which was used as a call from the server to his opponent. The original version of the game (a favorite sport of medieval French knights) was played by striking the ball with the palm of the hand, and in Old French was called la paulme, literally "the palm," but to an onlooker the service cry would naturally seem to identify the game. Century Dictionary says all of this is "purely imaginary."

The use of the word for the modern game is from 1874, short for lawn tennis, which originally was called sphairistike (1873), from Greek sphairistike (tekhne) "(skill) in playing at ball," from the root of sphere. It was invented, and named, by Maj. Walter C. Wingfield and first played at a garden party in Wales, inspired by the popularity of badminton.
The name 'sphairistike,' however, was impossible (if only because people would pronounce it as a word of three syllables to rhyme with 'pike') and it was soon rechristened. ["Times" of London, June 10, 1927]
Tennis-ball attested from mid-15c.; tennis-court from 1560s; tennis-elbow from 1883; tennis-shoes from 1887.[tennis etymology, tennis origin, 英语词源]
Tenochtitlan: former Aztec city, Nahuatl (Aztecan), literally "place of the nopal rock," from tetl "rock" + nuchtli "nopal," a species of cactus sacred to the sun god.
tenon (n.): projection inserted to make a joint, late 14c., from Middle French tenon "a tenon," from Old French tenir "to hold" (see tenet). As a verb from 1590s.
tenor (n.): c. 1300, "general meaning, prevailing course, purpose, drift," from Old French tenor "substance, contents, meaning, sense; tenor part in music" (13c. Modern French teneur), from Latin tenorem (nominative tenor) "a course," originally "continuance, uninterrupted course, a holding on," from tenere "to hold" (see tenet). The musical sense of "high male voice" is attested from late 14c. in English, so-called because the sustained melody (canto fermo) was carried by the tenor's part. Meaning "singer with a tenor voice" is from late 15c. As an adjective in this sense from 1520s.
tenpins (n.): c. 1600, from ten + plural of pin (n.). From the number of pins to be knocked down.
tense (adj.): "stretched tight," 1660s, from Latin tensus, past participle of tendere "to stretch, extend" (see tenet). Figurative sense of "in a state of nervous tension" is first recorded 1821. Related: Tensely; tenseness.
tense (n.): "form of a verb showing time of an action or state," early 14c., tens "time," also "tense of a verb" (late 14c.), from Old French tens "time, period of time, era; occasion, opportunity; weather" (11c., Modern French temps), from Latin tempus "a portion of time" (also source of Spanish tiempo, Italian tempo; see temporal).
tense (v.): "to make tense," 1670s, from tense (adj.); intransitive sense of "to become tense" (often tense up) is recorded from 1946. Related: Tensed; tensing.
tensile (adj.): 1620s, "stretchable," from Modern Latin tensilis "capable of being stretched," from Latin tensus, past participle of tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). Meaning "pertaining to tension" is from 1841.
tension (n.): 1530s, "a stretched condition," from Middle French tension (16c.) or directly from Latin tensionem (nominative tensio) "a stretching" (in Medieval Latin "a struggle, contest"), noun of state from tensus, past participle of tendere "to stretch," from PIE root *ten- "stretch" (see tenet). The sense of "nervous strain" is first recorded 1763. The meaning "stress along lines of electromotive force" (as in high-tension wires) is recorded from 1785.
tensor (n.): muscle that stretches or tightens a part, 1704, Modern Latin agent noun from tens-, past participle stem of Latin tendere "to stretch" (see tenet).
tent (n.): c. 1300, "portable shelter of skins or coarse cloth stretched over poles," from Old French tente "tent, hanging, tapestry" (12c.), from Medieval Latin tenta "a tent," literally "something stretched out," noun use of fem. singular of Latin tentus "stretched," variant past participle of tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). The notion is of "stretching" hides over a framework. Tent caterpillar first recorded 1854, so called from the tent-like silken webs in which they live gregariously.
tent (v.): "to camp in a tent," 1856, from tent (n.). Earlier "to pitch a tent" (1550s). Related: Tented; tenting.
tentacle (n.): 1762, from Modern Latin tentaculum, literally "feeler," from Latin tentare "to feel, try" + -culum, diminutive suffix (see -cule). Related: Tentacular.
tentative (adj.): 1580s, from Medieval Latin tentativus "trying, testing," from Latin tentatus, past participle of tentare "to feel, try." Related: Tentatively; tentativeness.
tenter (n.): c. 1300, "wooden framework for stretching cloth," of uncertain origin, probably via Old French (but the evolution of the ending is obscure), and ultimately from Latin tentorium "tent made of stretched skins," from tentus "stretched," variant past participle of tendere "to stretch" (see tenet).
tenterhooks (n.): plural of tenterhook (late 15c.), "one of the hooks that holds cloth on a tenter," from tenter + hook (n.). The figurative phrase on tenterhooks "in painful suspense" is from 1748; earlier to be on tenters (1530s).
tenth (adj.): mid-12c., tenðe; see ten + -th (1). Replacing Old English teoða (West Saxon), teiða (Northumbrian), which is preserved in tithe. Compare Old Saxon tehando, Old Frisian tegotha, Dutch tiende, Old High German zehanto, German zehnte, Gothic taihunda. As a noun from c. 1200.
tenuious (adj.): late 15c., from Latin tenuis "thin" (see tenuous) + -ous.
tenuous (adj.): 1590s, "thin, unsubstantial," irregularly formed from Latin tenuis "thin, drawn out, meager, slim, slender," figuratively "trifling, insignificant, poor, low in rank," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch" (cognates: Sanskrit tanuh "thin," literally "stretched out;" see tenet) + -ous. The correct form with respect to the Latin is tenuious. The figurative sense of "having slight importance, not substantial" is found from 1817 in English. Related: Tenuously; tenuousness.