tenure

noun

ten·​ure ˈten-yər How to pronounce tenure (audio)
 also  -ˌyu̇r
1
: the act, right, manner, or term of holding something (such as a landed property, a position, or an office)
especially : a status granted after a trial period to a teacher that gives protection from summary dismissal
2
: grasp, hold
tenurable adjective
tenurial adjective
tenurially adverb

Examples of tenure in a Sentence

… 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. 1995
Pittsburgh's offensive linemen, trap blockers during Noll's tenure, had to bulk up for the straight-ahead game. Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated, 9 Nov. 1992
A 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 Web During his tenure, Linn rebranded Court TV as TruTV with series including At Home With Amy Sedaris, Impractical Jokers, Adam Ruins Everything and Tacoma FD. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 The two men, while never personally close, worked together on certain initiatives during Trump’s tenure, and McConnell often defended Trump. Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 But Gordon's leadership of an Indiana center for troubled youth is being called into question by former employees, and state regulators have detailed a history of violations at the center during his tenure. The Indianapolis Star, 5 Mar. 2024 During their tenure on the show, Gutierrez accused Garinger of cheating on her during the pregnancy, which led to their eventual split. Shania Russell, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2024 Pompeo established during his tenure that Israeli Jews who live in Judea and Samaria, where most of the Bible’s history unfolded, are not in violation of international law. Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024 Resting beyond a brick walkway that opens into the original tiled courtyard via a sage-green door, the creamy stucco and terracotta-roof structure was built in the 1920s and extensively updated during Stone’s tenure. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024 That’s quite the shift in under a decade; but just what has fueled Takeda’s transformation during Weber’s tenure? Chase Feiger, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 During his tenure, Sunday Morning reached new highs, including a ratings spike and three Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Morning Program. Ew Staff, EW.com, 23 Feb. 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.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tenure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tenure

Cite this Entry

“Tenure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenure. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tenure

noun
ten·​ure ˈten-yər How to pronounce tenure (audio)
: 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
tenurial
te-ˈnyu̇r-ē-əl
adjective

Legal Definition

tenure

noun
ten·​ure ˈten-yər How to pronounce tenure (audio)
1
: 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
tenurial adjective
tenurially adverb
Etymology

Anglo-French, feudal holding, from Old French teneüre, from Medieval Latin tenitura, ultimately from Latin tenēre to hold

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