term of enlistment
- noun
- /tɜrm əv ɪnˈlɪstmənt/
- Formal
- After fulfilling his term of enlistment, he returned to his hometown to reconnect with his family.
Examples
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After completing his term of enlistment, he decided not to re-enlist and left the army.
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His term of enlistment is four years.
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Changing the term of enlistment could affect both recruitment and retention in the armed forces.
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The standard term of enlistment in the navy is four years, but some contracts are longer.
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The terms of enlistment changed last year.
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He decided to complete his term of enlistment before pursuing a civilian career.
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Many young recruits are aware that their term of enlistment lasts for at least four years.
Synonyms
A time spent doing a job or duty, often in the military
A set time when a person in the military works in one place
A time spent serving in the military
A period of time someone serves in the military after joining
A period of time a person spends working at an army post
Surface Forms
Morphology
term + of + enlistment
Both constituents carry the relevant temporal meaning: 'term' = a set period and 'enlistment' = the period someone serves after joining, with 'of' as a simple linking preposition. The phrase's meaning is directly compositional and follows a common noun-of-noun pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would readily infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
Term of enlistment comes from two simple ideas: term means a set time and enlistment means joining the military. Imagine signing a paper that says you will 'serve' for three years; that clear image explains why the phrase means the fixed period someone agrees to serve.