ˈtenyəwəs adjective
Etymology: Latin tenuis thin, slight, tenuous — more at thin
1. : not dense : having a thin consistency : rare
as tenuous as a comet's trail — A.M.Young
2. : not thick : slender , slim
lowering himself down rocky ravines with a tenuous nylon rope — Sydney (Australia) Bulletin
write it in tenuous , trailing letters — P.M.Hollister
3.
a. : having little substance or strength : flimsy , insignificant , weak
a tenuous idealism lost touch with reality — Laurence Binyon
the character of his physical strength — E.H.Blashfield
b. : not firmly based or supported
the seeds sprout slowly, and take tenuous root — Fred Rodell
tenuous growth that will wither beneath the hot winds of summer — George Farwell
c. : not definite, sharp, or clear-cut : hazy , vague
impossible to analyze all the tenuous influences at work — American Guide Series: Mich
Synonyms: see thin