What does prebend mean?
A prebend was an income-bearing appointment or endowment in a medieval or early modern cathedral or collegiate church. The recipient, often a canon or other clergy member, received a regular share of the institution's revenue in exchange for performing religious duties and maintaining the associated position or property. In this historical sense, a prebend combined the ideas of a salary, a benefice, and a form of endowed property. The word can also refer to the office or benefice itself, rather than simply to the money attached to it. Today, it is mostly found in historical, architectural, and ecclesiastical contexts. A person who held a prebend was called a prebendary. Although the term is no longer commonly used for ordinary employment, it remains useful because it describes a distinctive medieval system in which religious service and financial support were formally linked.
nounA prebend is a stipend or endowment granted to a member of a cathedral or collegiate church, typically in return for religious service. Historically, the term could also refer to the office or property attached to such a grant.
- A stipend, endowment, or income assigned to a member of a cathedral or collegiate church.
- The office or benefice associated with such an endowment.
"The cathedral appointed him to a prebend after he completed his studies."
"His uncle's prebend provided the young scholar with a modest income while he studied."
"The record notes that the canon held a prebend in the cathedral for nearly thirty years."
The plural is formed regularly by adding -s.
"Several prebends were established to support the cathedral's resident clergy."
Before modern salaries and donations, some medieval clergy received a guaranteed share of church income known as a prebend.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How prebend is actually used
Prebend is chiefly historical and formal. In modern English it is usually encountered in historical, architectural, or ecclesiastical writing rather than everyday conversation.
Easily confused with prebend
A prebend is the income or endowment attached to a church position, whereas a prebendary is the person who holds that position.