tenax

Latin

Etymology

From teneō (“I hold, grasp”) +‎ -āx.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈte.naːks/, [ˈt̪ɛnäːks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈte.naks/, [ˈt̪ɛːnäks]
• Hyphenation: te‧nāx

Adjective

tenāx (genitive tenācis, comparative tenācior); third-declension one-termination adjective

1. clinging
2. tenacious

   Synonyms: obstinātus, inexōrābilis

3. close-fisted, niggardly, stingy
4. firm, steadfast, persistent

   Synonyms: fīxus, fortis

Declension

Third-declension one-termination adjective.

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	tenāx			tenācēs	tenācia
Genitive	tenācis			tenācium
Dative	tenācī			tenācibus
Accusative	tenācem	tenāx		tenācēs	tenācia
Ablative	tenācī			tenācibus
Vocative	tenāx			tenācēs	tenācia

Descendants

• Catalan: tenaç
• English: tenacious
• French: tenace
• Galician: tenaz, tenaces
• Italian: tenace
• Old French: tenais
• Old Galician-Portuguese: tẽaz
• → Portuguese: tenaz
• Romanian: tenace
• Sardinian: tenaghe
• Sicilian: tinaci
• Spanish: tenaz, tenaza

References

• “tenax”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “tenax”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• tenax in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.