locum tenens
1
9.2
- noun
- /ˈloʊkəm ˈtɛnənz/
- Jargon
- Many healthcare providers prefer to work as locum tenens to have a flexible schedule.
Examples
-
The hospital hired a locum tenens to cover for the physician who was on vacation.
-
The regional director ruled in favor of NWPA by including locum tenens doctors, some working less than one day monthly.
Academic text (2001) -
As a locum tenens, she filled in for doctors on maternity leave at various clinics.
Synonyms
867
3.4
A person who acts for a leader when they are absent
23
4.2
A person who takes another person's place, for example in a performance or at work
1
9.5
A person who temporarily fills in for another professional, like a doctor or priest
A person or thing placed to take another person's place
Surface Forms
Morphology
locum + tenens
The phrase is a Latin borrowing whose overall meaning ('temporary substitute') is essentially compositional, and the provided definition of 'locum' already conveys the substitute sense. However 'tenens' is not a recognized English word here and the Latin form/usage is not a standard English compositional pattern, so a B1 learner would not reliably derive the meaning without prior exposure. Because part of the meaning is recoverable but the form is non‑English and partially opaque, it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Locum tenens comes from Latin, where locum means 'place' and tenens means 'holding'. So it paints the picture of someone 'holding the place' for another, which is why a locum tenens is a person, often a doctor or church leader, who temporarily does someone else's job.