tenet

Tenet is a principle or belief that is held to be true, especially one of the central claims of a philosophy, religion, or field of study. The word comes from the Latin tenet, meaning "he holds," via Old French tenet and Middle English usage. In modern usage, a tenet is a proposition regarded as foundational and worthy of defense.

Usage and scope: Tenets are often invoked to articulate core commitments, such as "a central tenet of democracy" or "the tenets of a faith." The term emphasizes that these ideas are chosen as guides rather than proven universal laws. In philosophy and theology, tenets can be debated or revised as scholarship progresses, though they usually function as defining elements of a system. Tenets differ from axioms in that they are not necessarily self-evident or formal starting points; they are beliefs accepted by communities or individuals.

Historical and cultural notes: The term is widely used in academic and religious contexts and appears in discussions of ethical, political, or metaphysical frameworks.

In popular culture: Tenet is also the title of a 2020 science fiction thriller directed by Christopher Nolan; the word itself is a palindrome, a fact sometimes noted in discussions of the film, which features time-reversal motifs that echo the idea of a principle held in different directions.