Tenure Definition:

A right of holding or occupying land or a position for a certain amount of time.

The term was first used in the English feudal land system, whereby all land belonged to the king but was lent out to lords for a certain period of time; the lord never owning, but having tenure in the land.

Used in modern law mostly to refer to a position a person occupies such as in the expression "a judge holds tenure for life and on good behavior."

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