tenure
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.a special status at a university that gives a teacher a permanent job so they cannot be fired easily.
n.a status of permanent employment granted to a teacher or professor, typically after a probationary period, intended to protect academic freedom.
Simple“After years of research and publishing books, she was finally granted tenure at the university.”
In context“The university's decision to deny tenure to the controversial researcher sparked a heated debate regarding the protection of academic freedom in modern institutions.”
Usageoften used with the verb 'grant' or 'receive'.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.the period of time during which someone holds an important job or position.
n.the term or duration during which an individual holds an official position or office.
Simple“During his tenure as manager, the company's profits increased significantly.”
In context“Her tenure as the head of the central bank was marked by a series of aggressive interest rate hikes aimed at curbing inflation.”
Usagefrequently followed by the preposition 'of'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.the legal right to live in a house or use a piece of land for a certain time.
n.the legal regime or conditions under which land or buildings are held or occupied.
Simple“The government is looking at new laws regarding land tenure for small farmers.”
In context“The complex system of land tenure in the region dates back to colonial-era statutes that complicate modern property development.”
Usageoften appears in the phrase 'land tenure'.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
v.to give a teacher or professor a permanent position at a university.
v.to grant a permanent academic position to an individual.
Simple“He was tenured last year after his second book became a major success.”
In context“The department rarely tenures more than two junior faculty members in a single academic cycle due to budget constraints.”
Usageusually used in the passive voice.
Synonyms
“Jorge Valdano, the former Madrid player and manager who worked upstairs during Mourinho’s first tenure, was of the opinion that a lot has indeed changed since then.”
“When he praised the outgoing press secretary for her tenure on Wednesday, Leavitt joked on social media that the pair had survived “many, many news cycles” together.”
From Middle English tenure, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French tenure, from Vulgar Latin tenitura, from tenitus, from Latin tentus (from teneō) + -ura.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.