WordGarden.ioprebend
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Meanings
Noun
an income or stipend attached to a cathedral or collegiate church office
the church office or canonry that carries such an income
Beyond the definition
Imagine a time when the church held significant land and wealth. A prebend was a share of that income set aside to support a clergyman, usually someone serving in a cathedral or collegiate church. It was like a church salary or allowance linked to a particular role.
The word comes from the Latin praebenda, referring to something provided for a person's support. It's mostly a historical term now, but you may see it in books about medieval church history or in novels set in that period. It shows how church institutions once organized duties, income, and support.
A prebend is a historical term for the income attached to a church office, especially in a cathedral or collegiate church. In simpler terms, it was a stipend or allowance granted to a clergyman, often called a prebendary, in return for service. That service might include leading worship, caring for a particular altar, or helping with the general work of the church.
These arrangements were not just about cash. They could include income from land, tithes, or other church revenues. A cathedral might have several such endowments, each supporting a different member of the clergy. The office supported by this income could be described as a benefice, though the word itself usually refers to the revenue or endowment tied to the role.
The system of prebends lasted for centuries, especially in England and elsewhere in Europe, but it declined after the Reformation and later church reforms. Today the term is rare in everyday English, yet it still matters in writing about medieval religion, church law, and the economics of religious institutions.
You might encounter prebend in historical novels, older legal or church records, or academic writing on ecclesiastical history. The word offers a clear glimpse into how power, duty, and wealth were organized within the church, and how those systems shaped society over many generations.
Examples
- 1
Church records
The records show that the canon held a prebend at Lincoln Cathedral.
- Usage
prebend is mainly a historical church word
- 2
Clergy income
His prebend provided enough income for a comfortable life, even though he spent little time at the cathedral.
- 3
Church reform
Reformers complained that some clergy collected several prebends while rarely visiting their churches.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- prebendnoun