sinecure
pronunciation
How to pronounce sinecure in British English:
UK [ˈsɪnɪkjʊə(r)]
How to pronounce sinecure in American English:
US [ˈsɪnɪkjʊr]
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- Noun:
- a benefice to which no spiritual or pastoral duties are attached
- an office that involves minimal duties
Word Origin
- sinecure
- sinecure: [17] Sinecure means literally ‘without cure’. It comes from the Latin phrase beneficium sine cūrā ‘benefice without cure’, that is to say an ecclesiastical office that does not involve the cure of souls (looking after people’s spiritual welfare), the usual duty of a priest. Hence it came to be applied to any appointment that involves payment for no work.
- sinecure (n.)
- 1660s, "church benefice with an emolument but without parish duties," from Medieval Latin beneficium sine cura "benefice without care" (of souls), from Latin sine "without" (see sans) + cura, ablative singular of cura "care" (see cure (n.1)).
Example
- 1. This job 's no sinecure , believe me .
- 2. In african countries such as ghana , nigeria and uganda teaching is all too often a sinecure , not a vocation .
- 3. He has lots of plans for a turnround but already his old hot seat at boeing , where he was chief executive , must be looking like a sinecure .
- 4. This is why churchill eventually had him removed from europe and given the sinecure of a colonial governorship in the bahamas , where he could be well-supervised .