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 nearby tenure
tentorium cerebelli,
tenty,
tenuis,
tenuity,
tenuous,
tenure,
tenure-track,
tenured,
tenuto,
tenzing,
tenzing norgay
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
- the holding or occupying of property, esp realty, in return for services rendered, etc
- the duration of such holding or occupation
Derived forms of tenure
tenurial, adjective tenurially, adverbWord Origin for tenure
C15: from Old French, from Medieval Latin
tenitūra, ultimately from Latin
tenēre to hold