Meaning

noun (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense

noun the physical condition of being stretched or strained

noun a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature)

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *tend-der. Proto-Italic *tendō Latin tendō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin tēnsiōder. Middle French tensionbor. English tension Borrowed from Middle French tension, from Latin tēnsiō.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0