Tenu

Tenu is a combining form used in English and other languages that comes from the Latin adjective tenuis, meaning thin, slender, or slight. In contemporary usage it chiefly appears as a morpheme inside larger words rather than as an independent term.

Etymology and form: The root tenu- derives from Latin tenuis, passed into English through historical medical and scientific vocabulary. In English spelling, the form appears in derivatives such as tenuous, which means thin or not strong, and tenuity, which denotes thinness or slenderness. The prefix-like use of tenu- helps form adjectives and nouns that convey a sense of slightness, fragility, or insufficiency.

Usage and examples: The most common English word incorporating the root is tenuous, used to describe something with little substance, support, or validity. Tenuity is a more specialized noun referring to the quality or state of being thin or slender. Because tenu is a root rather than a standalone word, its appearance is typically limited to scientific, philosophical, or descriptive contexts where a precise notion of thinness, slenderness, or slight degree is required.

See also: tenuis, the Latin word meaning thin or slender; tenuous, tenor of argument or evidence; tenuity, the quality of being thin or slender.