Tenn

Tenn is a common shortened reference that can refer to Tennessee, a state in the southeastern United States. In older writing and in some legal or map contexts, the state name appears abbreviated as Tenn. with a period; the modern postal abbreviation is TN.

The name Tennessee derives from a Cherokee word associated with the region, often linked to the village of Tanasi along the Tennessee River. Early English spellings varied, and the form Tennessee became established in the 18th century, after which shortened forms such as Tenn. appeared in print.

Geographically, Tennessee lies at the junction of the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River valley. It includes portions of the Blue Ridge, the Cumberland Plateau, and the Great Smoky Mountains. It borders eight states: Kentucky and Virginia to the north, North Carolina to the east, Georgia and Alabama to the south, Mississippi to the southwest, and Arkansas and Missouri to the west.

Historically, Indigenous peoples such as the Cherokee inhabited the region long before European contact. Tennessee became the 16th state in 1796. During the American Civil War, it joined the Confederacy but was readmitted to the Union in 1866, the first former Confederate state to do so.

Culturally, Tennessee is known for Nashville, a major center of country music and home to the Grand Ole Opry, and Memphis, noted for Blues, gospel, and the historic Beale Street. The state's economy is diverse, with strengths in manufacturing, healthcare, tourism, and transportation. A notable natural attraction is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border with North Carolina. In contemporary usage, Tenn. is largely superseded by TN in official contexts, though the shortened form may appear in historical or literary references.