tenderloin
noun
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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
Axios Des Moines, Axios, 9 Aug. 2024
Enjoy it on its own or serve it with an endless variety of mains including steak, chicken, shrimp, or pork tenderloin.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2024
Guests were also treated to sit-down plates featuring loin with black rice, mixed peppers and crispy kale as well as beef tenderloin medallions with a portobello reduction served with mushroom risotto.
—Stacy Lambe, Peoplemag, 31 July 2024
The restaurant’s five-ounce tenderloin tamales make for great leftovers.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tenderloin 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tenderloin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tenderloin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenderloin. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
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tenderloin
noun
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