tenet

American  

[ten-it, tee-nit] / ˈtɛn ɪt, ˈti nɪt /

noun

1. any opinion, principle, doctrine, dogma, etc., especially one held as true by members of a profession, group, or movement.

   Synonyms:

   position, belief

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tenet British  

/ ˈtiːnɪt, ˈtɛnɪt /

noun

1. a belief, opinion, or dogma

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Pronunciation

The word tenet is often mispronounced as , with an extra /n/ sound in the second syllable—exactly like the word tenant (meaning someone who rents and occupies an apartment, office, etc.). It is a mistake made by people across a wide range of educational backgrounds, because it is such a natural one to make: English has thousands of words that end in the unstressed syllable -ant or -ent, such as parent, accident, potent, and relevant. Moreover, the two sounds at the end of all these words—/n/ and /t/—are very easily made together because we pronounce them with the tongue in the same place, touching the upper palate (or roof) of the mouth. The almost identical-sounding and common word tenant makes it all too easy for the extra /n/ to creep into the second syllable of tenet. Another word that is liable to be mispronounced in a similar way, with an extra /n/ in the second syllable, is pundit. No doubt the first /n/ in both tenet and pundit also influences their mispronunciation. And in pundit, the /d/ sound is another one made in the same place as both /n/ and /t/. Talk about piling on!

Etymology

Origin of tenet

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin: “he holds,” 3rd person singular present indicative of tenēre “to hold”; tenant ( def. )

Example Sentences

By embracing the basic tenets below, you’ll make yourself a pleasure to serve—which is, I promise you, the surest route to a superior dining experience.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The right to protest is a core Australian value and a fundamental tenet of a democratic society," he said.

From BBC

Beijing is bent on keeping the momentum going as it grapples with the U.S. for tech dominance, making autonomy in strategic sectors a core tenet of its five-year plan for the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

To achieve self-sufficiency, China has made advanced robotics a key tenet of its national strategy for technological and economic development.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the tenets of 12-step programs is that by being of service to other people, you are also helping yourself, in part by putting your own life in perspective.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• assumption
• credo
• creed
• doctrine
• dogma
• faith
• precept
• presumption
• teaching