Impropriation
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The act of impropriating; putting an ecclesiastical benefice or tithes in the hands of a layman, or lay corporation. countable, uncountable
"[…] this practice of impropriation, which was first set on foot by unjust and sacrilegious bulls from Rome, is justly offensive both to God and good men; as misderiving the well-meant devotions of charitable and pious souls into a wrong channel."
- 2 A benefice, tithe etc. that has been put in lay hands. countable, uncountable
"Bishop Richard Watson's bag of some £2,200 a year was made up from […] five other impropriations to the Bishopric of Llandaff, and two to the Archdeacon of Ely."
Example
More examples"[…] this practice of impropriation, which was first set on foot by unjust and sacrilegious bulls from Rome, is justly offensive both to God and good men; as misderiving the well-meant devotions of charitable and pious souls into a wrong channel."
Etymology
From impropri(ate) + -ation.
More for "impropriation"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.