tenderfoot
noun
tenderfoot is spelled T-E-N-D-E-R-F-O-O-T: 10 letters. It appears about once in every 12 million words in written English, the 105,204th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, tenderfoot means “An inexperienced person; a novice” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of tenderfoot is tenderfeet or tenderfoots.
How many letters and syllables are in tenderfoot?
| Letters | 10: T-E-N-D-E-R-F-O-O-T |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 12 million words; the 105,204th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is tenderfoot?
Tenderfoot appears about once in every 12 million words in written English, the 105,204th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Forms of tenderfoot
- tenderfeet plural
- tenderfoots plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does tenderfoot mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
CanadaUSAn inexperienced person; a novice.
- 2
A newcomer or arriviste to the region in the American frontier (Old West and Wild West).
- 3
datedA Boy Scout of the lowest rank.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Tenderfoot in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense novice:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | pied-tendre, blanc-bec |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does tenderfoot come from?
From tender + foot. Refers to the delicate feet of newcomers to ranching or mining areas. First attested 1866.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).