The Spanish word 'tenue' comes directly from the Latin word 'tenuis', meaning 'thin, fine, delicate'. The word maintained both its form and meaning quite closely as it evolved from Latin to Spanish, with just a minor spelling adjustment to match Spanish phonological patterns. In modern Spanish, 'tenue' continues to mean 'thin, weak, or delicate'.

A related Spanish word is 'tenuidad', which refers to the quality of being thin or tenuous. The word 'atenuar' (to attenuate or weaken) is also derived from the same Latin root.

English speakers might recognize the connection to words like 'tenuous' and 'attenuate', which both come from the same Latin root 'tenuis'. 'Tenuous' maintains a very similar meaning to Spanish 'tenue', describing something thin, weak, or insubstantial. The word 'attenuate' means to make something thin or weak, preserving the core meaning of the original Latin word.