What is the term for a symbol that indicates silence for a specific duration?

The term used to describe a symbol that indicates silence for a specific duration within music notation is "rest." Rests serve as essential components in musical compositions, as they inform performers when to pause or remain silent and for how long. Different types of rests correspond to various note values, such as whole rests, half rests, quarter rests, and so on, each representing different lengths of silence.

In contrast, tenuto refers to a performance instruction that indicates a note should be held for its full value or slightly longer, without connecting to the next note. A barline is a vertical line in a music score that divides measures and organizes the rhythm and structure of the music. Pitch denotes the perceived frequency of a sound, which is more related to the musical notes themselves, rather than silence. Therefore, "rest" is the most appropriate term for silence in music notation.