tenure

[ ten-yer ]

noun

1. the holding or possessing of anything:

   the tenure of an office.

2. the holding of property, especially real property, of a superior in return for services to be rendered.
3. the period or term of holding something.
4. status granted to an employee, usually after a probationary period, indicating that the position or employment is permanent.

verb (used with object)

1. to give tenure to:

   After she served three years on probation, the committee tenured her.

tenure

/ ˈtɛnjə; ˈtɛnjʊə /

noun

1. the possession or holding of an office or position
2. the length of time an office, position, etc, lasts; term
3. the improved security status of a person after having been in the employ of the same company or institution for a specified period
4. the right to permanent employment until retirement, esp for teachers, lecturers, etc
5. property law
   1. the holding or occupying of property, esp realty, in return for services rendered, etc
   2. the duration of such holding or occupation

Derived Forms

• tenˈurial, adjective
• tenˈurially, adverb

Other Words From

• ten·u·ri·al [ten-, yoor, -ee-, uh, l], adjective
• ten·uri·al·ly adverb
• nonten·uri·al adjective
• nonten·uri·al·ly adverb
• under·tenure noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenure¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French; Old French teneure, from Vulgar Latin tenitura (unrecorded), equivalent to tenit(us) (unrecorded) “held” (for Latin tentus, past participle of tenēre “to hold”) + -ura -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenure¹

C15: from Old French, from Medieval Latin tenitūra, ultimately from Latin tenēre to hold

Example Sentences

In his first White House tenure, he went through five Defense secretaries in four years.

From Los Angeles Times

He has handled major political interviews and frequently traveled to cover major breaking news stories during his tenure on “Today.”

From Los Angeles Times

Early in his tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury, he was credited with helping usher through the vote that allowed women to become bishops, being supportive of the move through often tempestuous division.

From BBC

During a game, Yang revealed the worst "SNL" host behavior he’d experienced during his tenure.

From Salon

In his tenure at Fox News, Tucker Carlson was a prime disseminator of Great Replacement narratives, particularly those connecting it the next key element of 2024 gaslighting: the voter fraud myth.

From Salon

Related Words

• administration
• occupation
• ownership
• regime
• reign
• term