tenet

noun

te·​net ˈte-nət 

 also  ˈtē-nət

: a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true

especially : one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession

Did you know?

Tenet holds a centuries-long tenure in the English language, but its hometown is Latin. In that language, tenet is a form of the verb tenēre ("to hold") and means "s/he holds." Tenet was borrowed into English around 1600, probably because of use of the word in Latin writings to introduce text giving a principle or doctrine held by a person or group, such as a particular church or sect. The word’s English use today seems clearly linked: "a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true, and especially one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession." Note that the similar-sounding word tenant is also from tenēre; it arrived in the 1300s and typically refers today to someone who rents or leases a house, apartment, etc., from a landlord. (Be careful not to use tenant where you want tenet.) Tenure is a tenēre descendant too.

Did you know?

Tenets vs. Tenants

Thanks to its confusingly similar pronunciation, tenant (“occupant, land-holder”) is sometimes erroneously used in place of tenet (“principle, doctrine”). Consider this example:

One of the ancient tenants of the Buddist [sic] belief is, “He who sits still, wins” –Police, January/February 1968

You will probably never make the opposite mistake (that is, substitute tenet for tenant), but if you think you might, remember that tenant and occupant both end in -ant.

Examples of tenet in a Sentence

the central tenets of a religion

one of the basic tenets of the fashion industry

Recent Examples on the Web

President Donald Trump is testing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Republican lawmakers after a series of statements that show the White House appears to be dismantling key tenets of U.S. foreign policy, siding more with Moscow than Kyiv. —Samantha-Jo Roth, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Feb. 2025

Physical comedy is a tenet of the SNL oeuvre, so of course Molly Shannon—as the permanently 50-year-old Sally O’Malley—did her bit, kicking, stretching, and kicking some more (alongside Emma Stone) to introduce a decades-spanning montage of falls, smacks, and wipe-outs. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2025

That maneuver went at the heart of what was regarded as a sacrosanct tenet in American government: that civil servants remain outside partisan politics and can’t be fired without due process. —Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 9 Feb. 2025

The key tenets of the framework are honed through activities that test endurance and stamina throughout the five-week flagship experience, which can include tasks like making direct sales on the streets of San Francisco. —Daniel Fusch, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, "(s/he) holds," 3rd person singular present tense of tenēre "to hold, possess" — more at tenant entry 1

Note: Probably from the use of tenet in Latin texts as the opening verb in the statement of a principle or doctrine held by the person or body in question; cf. tenent (Latin, "they hold") used in the 16th to 18th centuries in the same sense.

First Known Use

circa 1620, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tenet

• bennet
• crenate
• jennet
• rennet
• senat
• senate

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Kids Definition

tenet

noun

te·​net ˈten-ət 

: a widely held belief

especially : one held in common by members of a group or profession