See also: tènement

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English tenement, from Anglo-Norman tenement (holding), from Old French tenement, from Medieval Latin tenimentum, from Latin teneō (hold).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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tenement (plural tenements)

  1. A building that is rented to multiple tenants, especially a low-rent, run-down one.
    • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 5]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, [], →OCLC:
      He turned into Cumberland street and, going on some paces, halted in the lee of the station wall. No-one. Meade’s timberyard. Piled balks. Ruins and tenements.
  2. (law) Any form of property that is held by one person from another, rather than being owned.
    The island of Brecqhou is a tenement of Sark.
  3. (figurative) A dwelling; abode; habitation.
    • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. [], London: [] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, [], →OCLC:
      Who has informed us that a rational soul can inhabit no tenement, unless it has just such a sort of frontispiece?
    • 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
      Where she came from no man could tell. There were some said she was no woman, but a ghost haunting some mortal tenement.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
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References

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Occitan

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Etymology

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First attested in the 13th century, From Old Occitan [Term?], from Medieval Latin tenimentum, from Latin teneō (hold).

Noun

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tenement m (plural tenements)

  1. (Feudalism) a rural domain, manor, holdings (land)

Old French

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Etymology

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Medieval Latin tenementum, from Latin verb teneō. See the verb tenir.

Noun

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tenement oblique singularm (oblique plural tenemenz or tenementz, nominative singular tenemenz or tenementz, nominative plural tenement)

  1. holding (of land)

Descendants

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  • English: tenement
  • French: tènement