Tenseness is from tense + -ness. Tense is from Latin tensus ('stretched'), past participle of tendere ('to stretch'). Important recorded forms include tensus (Latin) and tendere (Latin). Morphologically, the native -ness suffix turns an adjective or quality word into an abstract noun naming the state or condition. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers the state of being physically or emotionally taut or strained. The wider family includes related words such as tense, tension, tensile, and tensity.