tenure
/ˈtenjə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtenjər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈten-yər also -ˌyu̇r/ (ame, mw)
tenure — noun
1. the state or condition of lawfully owning property, holding an official position
the state or condition of lawfully owning property, holding an official position, or occupying a job; also the length of time that someone holds a particular office, piece of land, or job position
During her tenure as mayor, Rin oversaw the construction of a new public library.
during [possessive] tenure as [role]
The country's land tenure system lets farming families pass their fields to their children.
land tenure system
The previous CEO's brief tenure of only eighteen months surprised the board of directors.
Tyler's tenure on the hospital board lasted twelve years, longer than anyone else's.
Secure tenure over their homes gave the community confidence to invest in major repairs.
- term of office
narrower — only for elected or appointed official positions
- incumbency
more formal; focuses on the period a particular person currently holds an office
- holding
broader; can refer to simple possession without the legal dimension
文法句型
tenure of [something]
during someone's tenure as [role]
tenure on [committee/board]
用法筆記
The word is uncountable when referring to the state or condition ('tenure of office'), but may be used as a countable noun when referring to a specific period ('a tenure of three years'). Commonly appears in legal and formal contexts about property or official positions.
常見錯誤
2. a job guarantee, mainly for university teachers, that prevents them from being f
a job guarantee, mainly for university teachers, that prevents them from being fired without strong cause such as serious wrongdoing or major budget cuts
After six years of teaching, Manuela was finally granted tenure at the state university.
granted tenure
Without tenure, young professors worry about losing their jobs if their research is unpopular.
The faculty union fought to protect tenure as a cornerstone of academic freedom.
Bilal turned down a high-paying industry job because he valued the security that tenure provided.
Critics argue that tenure makes it too difficult to remove teachers who perform poorly.
- permanent contract
used outside academia; less specific than tenure
- job security
broader in meaning; not specific to universities
- probation
a trial period before a teacher may qualify for tenure
- temporary contract
a fixed-term arrangement with no guarantee of renewal
文法句型
grant [someone] tenure
earn tenure
be awarded tenure
tenure at [institution]
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a university professor or educator. Frequently paired with verbs such as 'grant', 'award', 'earn', 'deny', and 'revoke'. Almost never used for non-academic jobs.