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tent²

(tĕnt)

A small cylindrical plug of lint or gauze used to keep open or probe a wound or an orifice.

tr.v. tent·ed, tent·ing, tents

To keep (a wound or orifice) open with such a plug.

[Middle English tente, from Old French, from tenter, to probe, from Latin tentāre, to feel, try; see TENTATIVE.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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