tenon

1 of 2

noun

ten·​on ˈte-nən How to pronounce tenon (audio)
: a projecting member in a piece of wood or other material for insertion into a mortise to make a joint see dovetail illustration

tenon

2 of 2

verb

tenoned; tenoning; tenons

transitive verb

1
: to unite by a tenon
2
: to cut or fit for insertion in a mortise

Examples of tenon in a Sentence

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Noun
The main hall was constructed with a large timber frame structure fabricated and assembled in a traditional mortise and tenon method, with no steel components. — Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tenoun, tenowne, borrowed from Anglo-French tenoun, from tenir "to hold" + -on, suffix of agent or instrument, going back to Latin -ōn-, -ō, suffix of nouns denoting persons with a prominent feature — more at tenant entry 1

Verb

derivative of tenon entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tenon was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing tenon

Rhymes for tenon

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Cite this Entry

“Tenon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenon. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

tenon

noun
ten·​on
ˈten-ən
: a projecting part in a piece of material (as wood) for insertion into a mortise to make a joint
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