Adjacent Words

Benefice definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BEN'EFICE, n. [L. beneficium.]
1. Literally, a benefit, advantage or kindness. But in present usage, en ecclesiastical living; a church endowed with a revenue, for the maintenance of divine service,or the revenue itself. All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, arch-deaconries, and prebendaries; and benefice, to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives.
2. In the middle ages, benefice was used for a fee, or an estate in lands, granted at first for like only, and held ex mero beneficio of the donor. The estate afterwards becoming hereditary, took the appellation of feud, and benefice became appropriated to church livings.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an endowed church office giving income to its holder [syn: benefice, ecclesiastical benefice] v
1: endow with a benefice

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin beneficium, from Latin, favor, promotion, from beneficus Date: 14th century 1. an ecclesiastical office to which the revenue from an endowment is attached 2. a feudal estate in lands ; fief • benefice transitive verb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a living from a church office. 2 the property attached to a church office, esp. that bestowed on a rector or vicar. Derivatives: beneficed adj. Etymology: ME f. OF f. L beneficium favour f. bene well + facere do

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Benefice Ben"e*fice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beneficed.] To endow with a benefice. Note: [Commonly in the past participle.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Benefice Ben"e*fice, n. [F. b['e]n['e]fice, L. beneficium, a kindness, in LL. a grant of an estate, fr. L. beneficus beneficent; bene well + facere to do. See Benefit.] 1. A favor or benefit. [Obs.] --Baxter. 2. (Feudal Law) An estate in lands; a fief. Note: Such an estate was granted at first for life only, and held on the mere good pleasure of the donor; but afterward, becoming hereditary, it received the appellation of fief, and the term benefice became appropriated to church livings. 3. An ecclesiastical living and church preferment, as in the Church of England; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service. See Advowson. Note: All church preferments are called benefices, except bishoprics, which are called dignities. But, ordinarily, the term dignity is applied to bishoprics, deaneries, archdeaconries, and prebendaryships; benefice to parsonages, vicarages, and donatives.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Ecclesiastical living.