• sinecure • Part of Speech: Noun Meaning: 1. Any position with
compensation but few or no duties or responsibilities: a
featherbed position. 2. An ecclesiastical benefice with no
attached spiritual duties in a parish. Notes: Sinecures are one
of those frustrating manifestations of our society that lead to
both anger and humor. It has a rather pompous synonym,
sinecureship, as one might hold a high sinecureship in
government. Then there is the adjective sinecured, as to marry
someone sinecured for life, not to mention sinecurism, the
practice of allowing or holding sinecures. In Play: Sinecures
are popular positions for incompetent relatives: "Seamus Allgood
is working out well in the sinecure his uncle gave him in his
company." Doesn't it seem that every job but yours is a
sinecure? "Lucille Ondaflor was too young to retire, so they
transmoted her to a sinecure in mailroom management." Word
History: Today's word comes from a Medieval Latin phrase,
beneficium sine cura "an endowed Church office without the ca