tenured

American  

[ten-yerd] / ˈtɛn yərd /

adjective

1. of, having, or eligible for tenure, especially in a college or university.

   There are three tenured professors in the history department.

2. granting, allowing, or leading to tenure.

   None of the advertised jobs is a tenured position.

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tenured British  

/ ˈtɛnjʊəd, ˈtɛnjəd /

adjective

1. 1. having tenure of office

      a tenured professor

   2. guaranteeing tenure of office

      a tenured post

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Etymology

Origin of tenured

First recorded in 1960–65; tenure + -ed ³

Example Sentences

Tenured professors doubling as groundskeepers at a $70,000-a-year private college in New England is another sign of what is shaping up as the bleakest era for America’s smaller private schools.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Tenured professors can typically be fired only under extreme circumstances, such as professional misconduct or a financial emergency.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 26, 2023

Tenured at M.I.T. by the time she was 36, she commenced a lifelong hunt for a second Earth.

From New York Times • Aug. 18, 2020

Tenured faculty can be fired, although in such cases cause must be proven.

From Salon • Sep. 24, 2016

Tenured teachers deemed ineffective or negligent, after hearings and evaluations, are fired, they point out.

From Washington Post