Definition

A person who is new to outdoor activities or experiences and lacks the skills or toughness that come with time and practice.

Example

As a tenderfoot, he struggled to keep up with the more experienced hikers on the trail.

Conversation

I saw a new kid at the camp; he looked like a real tenderfoot.

Yeah, I noticed him too. He seemed a bit lost during the hike.

I hope he gets the hang of things soon; everyone was a tenderfoot once.

True! As long as he sticks around, he’ll learn the ropes in no time.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Tenderfoot → The word is formed from "tender" (from Old English *tender*, meaning soft or delicate) and "foot" (from Old English *fōt*, meaning foot). A tenderfoot originally referred to someone with soft feet, often used to describe a novice or inexperienced person, particularly in the context of outdoor activities or frontier life.

Memory Tip

Think of someone with 'soft' ('tender') feet who is new to the outdoors — that's why a tenderfoot is a beginner or novice.

Visually Confused Words