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Tenderness

Medical Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Sensitivity or pain when a body part is touched or pressed. In poetry it often symbolises vulnerability or emotional sensitivity.

Detailed Definition
Tenderness in medical terms refers to a heightened sensitivity of tissues that causes discomfort when touched. The word, however, also carries strong emotional connotations in everyday language. Because of this dual meaning, poets often employ tenderness to express both physical vulnerability and compassionate affection. The blending of bodily sensitivity with emotional warmth makes the term particularly rich in literary expression.
Example
Example in poetry:
He handled the injured bird with great tenderness; Poets describe the tenderness of a lover's touch; The bruise showed significant tenderness to the touch; She spoke with a voice full of tenderness; The tenderness of the meat required slow cooking; Tenderness implies gentleness or physical sensitivity.
Additional Notes
Tenderness refers to sensitivity when touched. In poetry the word also expresses emotional gentleness and vulnerability. Its double meaning allows poets to link physical sensitivity with compassionate feeling.
Other Meanings of “Tenderness”
Also Known As
Sensitivity Painful Sensitivity Pity Compassion Kindness Affection
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