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Tenet
A core principle, belief, or doctrine that is accepted as true and guides behavior or thought.
nounπ‘
Imagine This
Imagine a university motto inscribed on a stone wall, listing the institution's guiding tenets: integrity, excellence, and service. Each tenet is a bright, clearly framed sign students refer to when making decisions.
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Sounds Like
TEN-it
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Looks Like
Looks like a palindrome (reads the same forward and backward)
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Remember This
Tenet is commonly used in formal contexts to describe fundamental beliefs. It comes from the Latin tenet, meaning 'he holds', and its plural is tenets. Also, note that tenet is a palindrome.
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Other Forms
tenetsnoun
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Connect With
principle, doctrine, creed, dogma, precept
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Note
Use tenet with phrases like 'a core tenet' or 'the tenets of a system'. Do not confuse tenet with tenant (a person who rents property).
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Study Deeper
Examples
- One of the core tenets of democracy is equal protection under the law.
- The central tenet of his argument is that knowledge should be accessible to all.
Synonyms
principledoctrinecreedpreceptdogma
Antonyms
doubtunbeliefskepticism
Etymology
From Latin tenet, meaning 'he holds', from tenΔre 'to hold'; used in English via Old French tenet to denote a principle or belief.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: Tenet is a palindrome β a principle you hold steady in both directions. Remember by thinking: a true tenet reads the same forward and backward.
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Spontaneous
adjectiveProduced by a sudden inner impulse or without premeditation; happening naturally and unplanned; arising from within rather than being forced from without.
Flippancy
nounDisrespect; a lack of seriousness or a casual, frivolous attitude toward important matters.
Diplomatic
adjectiveTactful and prudent in dealing with others, especially in sensitive or potentially confrontational situations; relating to diplomacy.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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