A tire cord having core filaments (10) performed into a helical configuration while maintaining the core filaments (10) in a parallel, side-by-side relationship. The core filaments (10) are not twisted or stranded together. High tensile strength sheath filaments (11) are also performed into a flattened helical configuration so that the sheath filaments (11) can be wrapped around the side-by-side core filaments such that the sheath filaments (11) do not put such tension on the core filaments (10) as to cause the core filaments (10) to bunch. The core filaments (10) are maintained in a flat side-by-side configuration so that no voids are formed and rubber can penetrate into the tire cord. The core filaments (10) may number from three to six and the sheath filaments (11) from one to seven. The cross-section of the tire cord is flattened and confined within an oval-shaped outer bound (21), the oval outer bound (21) being characterized by a major axis and a minor axis. It is desirable that the minor axis be no greater than 60% of the major axis to create the appropriate difference in the bending modulus of the tire cord in the horizontal versus the vertical direction.