tenure

American  

[ten-yer] / ˈtɛn yər /

noun

1. the holding or possessing of anything.

   the tenure of an office.

2. the holding of property, especially real property, of a superior in return for services to be rendered.

3. the period or term of holding something.

4. status granted to an employee, usually after a probationary period, indicating that the position or employment is permanent.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give tenure to.

   After she served three years on probation, the committee tenured her.

tenure British  

/ ˈtɛnjə, ˈtɛnjʊə /

noun

1. the possession or holding of an office or position

2. the length of time an office, position, etc, lasts; term

3. the improved security status of a person after having been in the employ of the same company or institution for a specified period

4. the right to permanent employment until retirement, esp for teachers, lecturers, etc

5. property law

   1. the holding or occupying of property, esp realty, in return for services rendered, etc

   2. the duration of such holding or occupation

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Other Word Forms

• nontenurial adjective
• nontenurially adverb
• tenurial adjective
• tenurially adverb
• undertenure noun

Etymology

Origin of tenure

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French; Old French teneure, from Vulgar Latin tenitura (unrecorded), equivalent to tenit(us) (unrecorded) “held” (for Latin tentus, past participle of tenēre “to hold”) + -ura -ure

Example Sentences

The acquisition is an unexpected move by Simo early in her tenure at OpenAI, where she oversees its product and business functions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The chief of staff of the Air Force also announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term, while the head of US Southern Command retired a year into his tenure.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

More than 40 cases were dropped within the first six months of Bondi’s tenure.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

Bianco’s tenure as elected sheriff may not last forever.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Or was their tenure somewhat less cynical, more a matter of improvisation, motivated by the distant but vague object of forging a lasting harmony between Greek and Egyptian?

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

Related Words

• administration
• occupation
• ownership
• regime
• reign
• term