locum tenens

noun

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lo·cum te·nens | \ ˈlō-kəm-ˈtē-ˌnenz

, -ˈte-, -nənz \

plural locum tenentes\ ˈlō-kəm-ti-ˈnen-ˌtēz

Definition of locum tenens

: one filling an office for a time or temporarily taking the place of another —used especially of a doctor or clergyman

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About locum tenens

Examples of locum tenens in a Sentence

I'm just a locum tenens, so any major decisions should be deferred until your regular doctor returns from vacation.

Recent Examples on the Web When Whittingham stepped in as Meyer’s replacement in 2005, there were holes in the program after an undefeated season, and there were many lessons for the locum tenens to learn. — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 Nov. 2021 When service units are forced to hire temporary locum tenens physicians in lieu of decreasing services, the quality of care can change dramatically. — WSJ, 17 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'locum tenens.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.