ten·ure 
(tĕnyər, -yr′)
(tĕnyər, -yr′)n.
1.
a. The act, fact, manner, or condition of holding something in one's possession, as real estate or an office; occupation.
b. A period during which something is held.
2. The status of holding one's position on a permanent basis without periodic contract renewals: a teacher granted tenure on a faculty.
[Middle English, from Old French teneure, from tenir, to hold, from Latin tenēre, to hold; see ten- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
ten·uri·al (-yrē-əl) adj.
ten·uri·al·ly adv.