benefice
Americannoun
-
a position or post granted to an ecclesiastic that guarantees a fixed amount of property or income.
-
the revenue itself.
-
the equivalent of a fief in the early Middle Ages.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
Christianity an endowed Church office yielding an income to its holder; a Church living
-
the property or revenue attached to such an office
-
(in feudal society) a tenement (piece of land) held by a vassal from a landowner on easy terms or free, esp in return for military support See also vassalage
verb
Other Word Forms
- nonbeneficed adjective
- unbeneficed adjective
Etymology
Origin of benefice
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin beneficium service, kindness ( benefic ( us ) benefic + -ium -ium )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The benefice of Middleton was merged with neighbouring Great Henny.
From BBC • Jul. 16, 2023
The church, she says, is one of 15 in the benefice.
From BBC • Jul. 16, 2023
That it has taken the House until 1970 to bestow such a benefice on the electorate is a commentary in itself.
From Time Magazine Archive
Its marble lions gaze out with dignity over trash and traffic alike, and the lofty portico proclaims the institution's origins in the heady days of 19th century hope and public benefice.
From Time Magazine Archive
As these were drained so did the value of the benefice increase, till it became worth over �7,000 per annum.
From Highways and Byways in Cambridge and Ely by Conybeare, Edward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
