tenderness

• tendernesse (obsolete)

From tender +‎ -ness.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛn.dɚ.nɪs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtɛn.də.nɪs/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: ten‧der‧ness

tenderness (countable and uncountable, plural tendernesses)

1. A tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings.

   When the lovers were together, their cold indifference gave way to love and tenderness.

   • 1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette:

     I had known him jealous, suspicious; I had seen about him certain tendernesses, fitfulnesses—a softness which came like a warm air, and a ruth which passed like early dew, dried in the heat of his irritabilities: this was all I had seen.

2. A concern for the feelings or welfare of others.

   When they saw the poor orphans, they were overwhelmed with tenderness for them.

   Everybody needs a little tenderness sometimes.

3. (medicine, pathology) A pain or discomfort when an affected area is touched.

   He noted her extreme tenderness when he touched the bruise on her thigh.