- tent (n.)
- c.1300, "portable shelter of skins or cloths stretched over poles," from Old French tente (12c.), from Medieval Latin tenta "a tent," noun use of fem. singular of Latin tentus "stretched," variant past participle of tendere "to stretch" (see tenet). The notion is of "stretching" hides over a framework. Tent caterpillar first recorded 1854.
- tent (v.)
- "to camp in a tent," 1856, from tent (n.). Related: Tented; tenting.