Tenable
/ˈtɛn.ə.bəl/noun
Able to be defended, maintained, or justified.
Did you know?Tenable comes from Latin *tenēre*, “to hold,” the same ancient root behind words for gripping, containing, and even keeping power in place.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ten-
“to stretch, extend”
Latin
Latin
tenēre
“to hold, keep, possess”
Late Latin
Latin
tenabilis
“capable of being held or maintained”
14th Century
English
tenable
“capable of being held or defended”
Modern English
English
tenable
“able to be defended, maintained, or justified”