… but there is also about it just the trace of the nettlesome righteousness that alienated much of Washington during his tenure there, the not-so-subtle suggestion that while he might be in politics, he is not of politics and certainly not, God forbid, a politician.—Jim Wooten, New York Times Magazine, 29 Jan. 1995Pittsburgh's offensive linemen, trap blockers during Noll's tenure, had to bulk up for the straight-ahead game.—Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated, 9 Nov. 1992A mural on the upper half of a four-story guesthouse was painted in 1977 by twelve-year-old schoolchildren, whose tenure on the scaffold must have thrilled their parents.—John McPhee, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 1988
During his tenure as head coach, the team won the championship twice.
her 12-year tenure with the company
His tenure in office will end with the next election.
After seven years I was finally granted tenure.
He hopes to get tenure next year.
The defendant did not have tenure on the land.
land tenure in Anglo-Saxon Britain
Recent Examples on the WebThe 85-minute doc investigates the election and tenure of Tsai Ing-wen, the first female president of Taiwan.—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 23 Apr. 2024 Midway through her tenure in the game, the two-time Oscar winner will release her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, on May 17.—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024 His three-decade tenure in Asleep At The Wheel had concluded in 2021 after the group’s 50th anniversary tour.—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2024 If the bias is that gender, race, and difference mean underrepresented workers with similar experience and tenure get promoted more slowly, the organization needs to help create a more equitable structure.—Barron Witherspoon, Sr., Fortune, 19 Apr. 2024 Newsom’s more aggressive stance is the latest example of the governor wanting local governments to do more to lessen homelessness, which has worsened in his tenure despite more than $20 billion in state funds spent on programs to help over the last five years.—Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024 Forty-two per cent of the leadership positions at OSHA, including that of the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, were left vacant during his tenure.—Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2024 Jokowi, who will leave office later this year, tried to encourage investment in higher-value manufacturing during his tenure.—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 17 Apr. 2024 Clark became a household name during her tenure with the Hawkeyes and was among the class of star college players who helped the women's NCAA tournament bring in record viewership this season.—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tenure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, "possession of land under obligation to a superior, the land so held," borrowed from Anglo-French tenure, teneure, going back to Gallo-Romance *tenitūra "act of possessing," from Latin ten-, base of tenēre "to hold, possess" + -it-, generalized from past participles ending in -itus + -ūra-ure — more at tenant entry 1
Note:
A number of renderings of the word in Medieval Latin from the 11th century on (as tenetura, tenatura, tentura, tenura, etc.) may reflect stages in the passage from Latin to French or attempts to Latinize a vernacular form.
: the act, right, manner, or term of holding something (as property, a position, or an office)
especially: a status granted after a trial period to a teacher that gives protection from dismissal except for serious cause determined by formal proceedings
: the act, manner, duration, or right of holding something
tenure of office
specifically: the manner of holding real property : the title and conditions by which property is held
freehold tenure
2
: a status granted to a teacher usually after a probationary period that protects him or her from dismissal except for reasons of incompetence, gross misconduct, or financial necessity
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