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Glite Dictionary
ecclesiastical benefice

ecclesiastical benefice

9.9
A church job that gives money to the person who has it
  • noun
  • /ɪˌkliziˈæstɪkəl ˈbɛnɪfɪs/
  • Formal
translation icon : beneficio eclesiástico
  • The council discussed how the ecclesiastical benefice should be managed after the bishop's retirement.

Examples

  • The bishop awarded him an ecclesiastical benefice last year.

  • The income from the ecclesiastical benefice supported the church’s activities.

  • He was appointed to an ecclesiastical benefice in the rural parish.

  • Many ecclesiastical benefices were established during the Middle Ages.

  • The bishop appointed him to an ecclesiastical benefice that provided a steady income.

  • Many clergy members rely on their ecclesiastical benefice for financial support.

  • After years of service, she received an ecclesiastical benefice to help sustain her ministry.

Synonyms

benefice
vsecclesiastical benefice
  • Formal
1 9.9

A church job that gives land and money to support the person in it

emphasizes a church office endowed to provide income rather than permanence

Surface Forms

ecclesiastical benefice singular
ecclesiastical benefices plural

Morphology

ecclesiastical + benefice

Both constituents directly contribute to the overall meaning: 'ecclesiastical' = church-related and 'benefice' = an endowed church post providing income, so the phrase straightforwardly denotes a church-related endowed office. The adjective + noun composition is compositional and parallels expressions in other languages, making the meaning derivable for a B1 learner who knows the two words.

Etymology

Ecclesiastical benefice comes from old words that mean 'church' and 'gift'. The part ecclesiastical points to the 'church' and benefice comes from a word for a 'gift' or 'benefit' given to a priest, so it became an office that brings income. That's why today it means 'a church office that provides income'.