tenure

[ ten-yer ]
/ ˈtɛn yər /

noun

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

verb (used with object)

to give tenure to: After she served three years on probation, the committee tenured her.

Origin of tenure

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French; Old French teneure < Vulgar Latin *tenitura, equivalent to *tenit(us) held (for Latin tentus, past participle of tenēre) + -ura -ure

OTHER WORDS FROM tenure

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tenure

tender tenor tenure

Example sentences from the Web for tenure

British Dictionary definitions for tenure

tenure
/ (ˈtɛnjʊə, ˈtɛnjə) /

noun

the possession or holding of an office or position
the length of time an office, position, etc, lasts; term
mainly US and Canadian the improved security status of a person after having been in the employ of the same company or institution for a specified period
the right to permanent employment until retirement, esp for teachers, lecturers, etc
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 of tenure

tenurial, adjective tenurially, adverb

Word Origin for tenure

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