Tenuousness

Tenuousness is the quality or state of being tenuous: thin, delicate, or weak in form, substance, or connection. The word derives from Latin tenuis, meaning thin or slender, and entered English via Old French. The noun forms tenuousness and tenuity refer to this thinness or weakness in a physical, conceptual, or relational sense.

In everyday use, tenuous describes things with insufficient support or durability: a tenuous argument, a tenuous grip on an object, or a tenuous rumor. It often signals a precarious or uncertain situation and suggests that withstand test or scrutiny is doubtful.

In scientific and technical contexts the term covers low density or weak binding. For example, a tenuous atmosphere has very low pressure, and a tenuous interstellar medium comprises sparse gas and dust. In materials science, a tenuous bond or a tenuous structural connection implies fragility that increases the risk of failure under stress.

Two common noun forms are tenuousness and tenuity, used to discuss the quality itself, as in "the tenuousness of the link" or "the tenuity of the membrane." The word remains a cautious, noncommittal descriptor, often implying that a claim or state could easily change with new information.