1. (n.) A church office endowed with capital assets to provide a living.\

2. (n.) An estate in lands; a fief.

3. (n.) 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.

4. (v. t.) To endow with a benefice.

advowson apostleship benefice call charge curacy cure glebe holy orders incumbency living pastorage pastoral care pastorate prelacy priesthood priestship rabbinate rectory sacred calling the church the cloth the desk the ministry the pulpit vicarage vocation