Etymograph

English

tendon

Tendon may come from French tendon.

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presenttendonuncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2016same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Frenchc. 1600–presenttendonuncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2016same form

Earliest quotation: 2016, Ian McEwan, Nutshell: “I hear a wrenching sound of tendons stretching and…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch’

continue, tight, obtain, contain, content, entertainment, tune, maintenance, tone, retain, continuous, ton, sustain, tennis, continent, detention, rein, tender, pristine, tenant, retention, continuum, detain, pertinent, tonic, abstain, abstinence, pertain, tenor, tenacity, tenacious, sustenance, tetanus, retinue, tantra, countenance, incontinence, tenet, tenement, maintainer, 71 more

through Ancient Greek τένων ‘sinew, tendon’

tendinitis, 5 more

Another origin of tendon

  1. Japanesemodern天丼tendon‘tendon, tempura donburi’
  2. Englishtodaytendon

Today it means

noun A tough band of flexible but inelastic fibrous collagen tissue that connects a muscle with its bony attachment and transmits the force which the muscle exerts.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / French tendon / tendon

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