tender
TEN-der
/ˈten.dər/
A small boat used to transport passengers or supplies between a ship and the shore when the ship cannot dock directly.
Specifically denotes a support vessel serving a larger ship anchored offshore in shallow harbors.
The story behind the word. Derived from the verb 'tend' (meaning to attend to or care for), from Latin 'tendere'. A tender boat 'attends to' the needs of a larger vessel by delivering supplies and people.
Word relationships
- shuttle boat: 'Shuttle boat' is a non-nautical descriptive term for any short-distance boat.
- launch: 'Launch' refers generally to a motorboat, whereas 'tender' specifies its support function to a larger ship.
Commonly confused with
- dinghy: A 'dinghy' is typically a small open inflatable or rowboat; a ship's 'tender' can be a large closed passenger boat carrying dozens.
Word family
- tendering (noun/verb): The operation of shuttle boats between ship and shore.
Collocations
- tender boat
- tender service
- tender port
- board a tender
Example sentences
- "Because the harbor was too shallow for the ocean liner, passengers were taken ashore by tender." Port departure report
- "The ship lowered two tenders from the davits to transport sightseers across the bay." Nautical travel log
Memory hook
A TENDER boat TENDS to the needs of the big ship. TENDER = helper boat attending the ship.
When not to use
Do not confuse with the adjective meaning gentle/soft or the verb meaning to offer payment.
Fun facts
- Modern cruise ship lifeboats are dual-purpose and designed to serve as high-capacity tenders during port calls.
Related words
Explore more words
tenderness, affectionate, fondness, sentimental, affection, soothe
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.