Middle English: from Old French tente, based on Latin tent- 'stretched', from the verb tendere. The verb dates from the mid 16th centlate Middle English: from Spanish tinto 'deep-coloured', from Latin tinctus 'dyed, stained', from the verb tingerelate Middle English (also denoting a surgical probe): from Old French tente, from tenter 'to probe', from Latin temptare 'handle, test, try'
