tenderloin
noun
Did you know?
A tenderloin, of course, is a juicy and tasty cut of meat. In the late 19th century, however, Tenderloin saw use as a nickname for the neighborhood of midtown Manhattan, west of Broadway and below 42nd Street. This district, which contained numerous bordellos, gambling houses, and watering holes, alongside theaters and hotels, became a hotbed of corruption - and, it was alleged by some, blackmail by police. The notion of dishonest law enforcers being able to afford a nice meal off activity in this district is believed to have given the Tenderloin its name. Soon the term was applied to similarly seedy districts in other cities.
Examples of tenderloin in a Sentence
Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
The menu is expected to go through roughly 10,000 hot dogs, 1,500 pounds of local Dungeness crab, 2,000 pounds of prime beef tenderloin, 4,000 oysters and 8,000 margaritas, according to Levy.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
My tenderloin was absolutely perfect!
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Feb. 2026
Staying in feels special with mushrooms au poivre, coconut-caramel fish, pork tenderloin with agrodolce cherries, or any of these Valentine’s dinner options.
—Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tenderloin
Cite this Entry
“Tenderloin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenderloin. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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tenderloin
noun
