*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of tend

From Middle English tenden, from Middle French tendre, from Old French tendre (“to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender”), from Latin tendere (“to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out”).

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
verb

To make a tender of; to offer or tender. · To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain habit or leaning. · To contribute to or toward some outcome.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English tenden, from Middle French tendre, from Old French tendre (“to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender”), from Latin tendere (“to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymid",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "to incline towards"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*tend-",
        "id": "stretch"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:tenden"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle French\", \"term\" : \"tendre\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"frm\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"tenden\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"tend\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"tend\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "tenden",
        "id": "to extend"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English tenden"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "frm",
        "3": "tendre"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle French tendre"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "tendre",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French tendre (“to stretch, stretch out, hold forth, offer, tender”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "tendere",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin tendere (“to stretch, stretch out, extend, spread out”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:tenden"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "tenden",
      "tenden#Middle_English:_to_extend"
    ],
    [
      "tendre",
      "tendre#Middle_French"
    ],
    [
      "tendre",
      "tendre#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "tendere",
      "tendere#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To make a tender of; to offer or tender.",
        "To be likely, or probable to do something, or to have a certain habit or leaning.",
        "To contribute to or toward some outcome."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "auxiliary",
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "ca7c017f2f9b05f07771e0a718b64309733148e12f931350ff19d7197e65cabc",
      "rawRecordSha256": "d1d7d0fed0db2cec89315231fed103411230cd983d5873b210ae0bfded8c8a00",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 240327
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To look after (e.g. an ill person.) · To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard. · To wait (upon), as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend. · To await; to expect.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English tenden (“to pay attention to”), by apheresis of attenden (“to attend”) or entenden (“to intend”). More at attend and intend.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentiontendenenm · to pay attention to

This page abbreviates 2 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymid",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "to attend"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "tenden",
        "id": "to pay attention",
        "t": "to pay attention to"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English tenden (“to pay attention to”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "tenden",
      "tenden#Middle_English:_to_pay_attention"
    ],
    [
      "attenden",
      "attenden#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "entenden",
      "entenden#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "attend",
      "attend#English"
    ],
    [
      "intend",
      "intend#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To look after (e.g. an ill person.)",
        "To accompany as an assistant or protector; to care for the wants of; to look after; to watch; to guard.",
        "To wait (upon), as attendants or servants; to serve; to attend.",
        "To await; to expect."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "ce82fd5ad9d420a4cabeca10e23847a67772c76cd3a807396031a7c15965302c",
      "rawRecordSha256": "df93762d016e60a8d3601bce238fee7e69fb04265da3a676ba9e74d5eeae4dcf",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 240328
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 2,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English tenden, from Old English tendan (“to kindle, set on fire”) (usually in compounds ātendan, fortendan, ontendan), from Proto-Germanic *tandijaną (“to kindle”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Danish tænde (“to kindle”), Swedish tända (“to ignite”), Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (tandjan, “to kindle”), Icelandic tendra (“to ignite”), German zünden (“to light, ignite, fire”). Related to tinder.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymid",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "to ignite"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*den-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "tenden",
        "id": "to ignite"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English tenden"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "tendan",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to kindle, set on fire"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English tendan (“to kindle, set on fire”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*tandijaną",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to kindle"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *tandijaną (“to kindle”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "tænde",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to kindle"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish tænde (“to kindle”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "tända",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to ignite"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish tända (“to ignite”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "got",
        "2": "𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to kindle"
      },
      "expansion": "Gothic 𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (tandjan, “to kindle”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "tendra",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to ignite"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic tendra (“to ignite”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "zünden",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to light, ignite, fire"
      },
      "expansion": "German zünden (“to light, ignite, fire”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "tenden",
      "tenden#Middle_English:_to_ignite"
    ],
    [
      "tendan",
      "tendan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "ātendan",
      "atendan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "fortendan",
      "fortendan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "ontendan",
      "ontendan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*tandijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/tandijaną"
    ],
    [
      "tænde",
      "tænde#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "tända",
      "tända#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽",
      "𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽#Gothic"
    ],
    [
      "tendra",
      "tendra#Icelandic"
    ],
    [
      "zünden",
      "zünden#German"
    ],
    [
      "tinder",
      "tinder#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To kindle; ignite; set on fire; light; inflame; burn."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dialectal",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "c8a694ddaf54443f1ce012efe54c8532f77c17d7051227b82651bad28a99e62d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "7d27a5bf78e9d6de90250d19674bb4e129fdab1e4d01cfd2eccffca00e03f745",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 240329
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for tend →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-dGVuZA