tenancy

noun

ten·​an·​cy ˈte-nən(t)-sē 

plural tenancies

1

: a holding of an estate or a mode of holding an estate

specifically : the temporary possession or occupancy of something (such as a house) that belongs to another

2

: the period of a tenant's occupancy or possession

Examples of tenancy in a Sentence

He was granted tenancy of the farm.

During his tenancy, he tried to make as many improvements as he could.

Recent Examples on the Web

Check the tenancy agreement for heating control terms. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025

The earliest adopters are mostly brands and artists that want to host events or put on shows in Decentraland, with tenancies ranging in duration from a single day to multiple months. —Joel Khalili, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2023

Incorporating visual techniques into daily work could grant a competitive edge, ensuring rent-free tenancy in the most valuable real estate that exists: the minds of your audience. —Nora Herting, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

The results of these twentieth-century laws restricting or banning tenancy were both dramatic and mixed. —Tim Hanstad, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2016

Word History

Etymology

ten(ant) entry 1 + -ancy (probably after Anglo-French tenaunce)

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tenancy

• lieutenancy

Kids Definition

tenancy

noun

ten·​an·​cy ˈten-ən-sē 

plural tenancies

1

a

: the temporary possession or use of another's property

b

: the period of such use or possession

2

: the ownership of property

Legal Definition

tenancy

noun

ten·​an·​cy ˈte-nən-sē 

plural tenancies

1

: the holding of or a mode of holding an estate in property:

a

: a form of ownership of property : tenure

b

: the temporary possession or occupancy of property that belongs to another

— holdover tenancy

: a tenancy that arises when one remains in possession of property after the expiration of the previous tenancy (as one under a lease), that may be established as a tenancy at will by the recognition of the landlord (as by accepting rent), and that may sometimes be statutorily converted to a periodic tenancy for the same or a different term than that of the original tenancy

liable for payment of rent in a holdover tenancy

called also tenancy at sufferance

— joint tenancy

: a tenancy in which two or more parties hold equal and simultaneously created interests in the same property and in which title to the entire property is usually to remain with the survivors upon the death of one of the parties and so on to the last survivor

a right to sever the joint tenancy

see also tenancy by the entirety in this entry compare tenancy in common in this entry

— life tenancy

: the tenancy of one with a life estate

also : life estate at estate 1

created a life tenancy for her husband

— periodic tenancy \ ˌpir-​ē-​ˈä-​dik-​ \

: a tenancy that is carried forward by specified time periods (as months) without a lease and that may be terminated by the landlord or tenant after giving proper notice

— tenancy at sufferance

: holdover tenancy in this entry

— tenancy at will

: a tenancy that is terminable at the will of the landlord or tenant provided that applicable statutory requirements for notice are met

— tenancy by the entirety

: a tenancy that is shared by spouses who are considered one person in law and have the right of survivorship and that becomes a tenancy in common in the event of divorce

property subject to a tenancy by the entirety cannot be encumbered by one tenant acting alone

—Mays v. Brighton Bank, 832 S.W.2d 347 (1992)

called also tenancy by the entireties

compare estate by the entirety at estate sense 1

— tenancy for years

: a tenancy that is for a specified period of time compare tenancy at will in this entry

— tenancy in common

: a tenancy in which two or more parties share ownership of property but have no right to each other's interest (as upon the death of another tenant) compare joint tenancy in this entry

— tenancy in partnership

: a tenancy that binds partners to the use of partnership property only for partnership purposes and that does not permit the separate assignment by a partner of his or her right to the property

2

: the period of a tenant's occupancy or possession