— tenurial /ten yoor"ee euhl/ , adj. — tenurially , adv.
/ten"yeuhr/ , n.
1. the holding or possessing of anything: the tenure of an office.
2. the holding of property, esp. 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.
v.t.
5. to give tenure to: After she served three years on probation, the committee tenured her.
[ 1250-1300; ME teneure tenitura, equiv. to * tenit ( us ) held (for L tentus, ptp. of tenere ) + -ura -URE ]