tenure

American  

[ten-yer] / ˈtɛn jər /

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

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

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

Explanation

Take the noun tenure for the period of time a person holds a position or office. Your tenure as a student ends when you graduate high school — unless, of course, you go on to college. Tenure from the Latin tenere means "to hold" and refers to the period of time a person works at a particular job or in an office. A president might have to deal with a recession during his tenure in the White House. In university jargon, if you have tenure, you have a permanent teaching position or professorship. In this sense, tenure can also be used as a verb. You've got it made if you're tenured at age 29.

Example Sentences

One hundred days into Josh D’Amaro’s tenure as Disney’s DIS 0.75%increase; up pointing triangle chief executive officer, the walls of his office are still bare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 27, 2026

What wasn’t mentioned in the encomiums showered on Greenspan after his passing at age 100 this past week, was the very different backdrop during his tenure, especially compared with what Warsh faces today.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Hudson, who began her tenure as chief executive in 2023 by apologising for the airline's failings, says Qantas has been focused on rebuilding trust.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

To the public, Greenspan was known for his impenetrably cryptic speaking style and for the relative tranquility in the American economy during his tenure, which has been termed “the great moderation” despite recurrent short-term crises.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

Ralph wasn’t going to get tenure; or at least it wasn’t definite.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Related Words

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