tenure

noun

ten·​ure ˈten-yər 

 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

ˈten-yər-ə-bəl 

adjective

tenurial

te-ˈnyu̇r-ē-əl 

adjective

tenurially

te-ˈnyu̇r-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• term
• stint

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 her tenure with the city, Townsend was the deputy commissioner of trials and investigations overseeing the Correction Department’s disciplinary system. —Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025

During her tenure, Corey spearheaded new print and digital sections while building on The Sun’s long tradition of investigative journalism. —Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2025

During her tenure, Tancredi-Baese significantly expanded Home Start’s specialized programs and community outreach. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 July 2025

His tenure in Tallahassee was marked by significant controversy, including a high-profile Title IX lawsuit against the school by a woman who accused former FSU star quarterback Jameis Winston of rape. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 9 July 2025

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

Phrases Containing tenure

• tenure-track

Rhymes for tenure

• enure

Kids Definition

tenure

noun

ten·​ure ˈten-yər 

: 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 

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

te-ˈnyu̇r-ē-əl 

adjective

tenurially

-ə-lē 

adverb

Etymology

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