benefice

[ben-uh-fis] /ˈbɛn ə fɪs/
noun
1.
a position or post granted to an ecclesiastic that guarantees a fixed amount of property or income.
2.
the revenue itself.
3.
the equivalent of a fief in the early Middle Ages.
verb (used with object), beneficed, beneficing.
4.
to invest with a benefice or ecclesiastical living.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin beneficium service, kindness (benefic(us) benefic + -ium -ium)
Related forms
nonbeneficed, adjective
unbeneficed, adjective
Examples from the web for benefice
  • Each benefice had a number of spiritualities, or spiritual duties, attached to it.
British Dictionary definitions for benefice

benefice

/ˈbɛnɪfɪs/
noun
1.
(Christianity) an endowed Church office yielding an income to its holder; a Church living
2.
the property or revenue attached to such an office
3.
(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
4.
(transitive) to provide with a benefice
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from Latin beneficium benefit, from beneficus, from bene well + facere to do
Word Origin and History for benefice
n.

c.1300, "a church living," from Old French benefice (13c.) and directly from Latin beneficium "a favor, service, generosity, kindness, benefit," from beneficus "generous, kind, benevolent, obliging," from bene- (see bene-) + -ficus, from stem of -ficere, unstressed form of facere "to do, to make" (see factitious).