sinecure

UK/ˈsaɪ.nɪˌkjʊə/US/ˈsaɪ.nəˌkjʊɹ/

nounC2Very rare — outside the 30,000 commonest English words, so you will meet it in writing rather than in speechToo rare in one of the two pools to compare — fewer than 20 uses in speech or in writing

Other forms: sinecures

A sinecure is a post that pays well and asks almost nothing. Given a sinecure.

It began in the church, meaning a parish where the holder had no care of souls. A sinecure is now a polite accusation rather than a job title anybody claims.

Definitions of sinecure

1nounsinecureA post that pays well and asks almost nothing.C2
“The chairmanship was a sinecure and everybody knew it.”

sinecure is a post.

Where it comes from

Latin sine cura, without care; a benefice held without responsibility for a congregation.

Medieval Latin
sine — without
Ecclesiastical Latin
sine cūrā
English, today
sinecure

Built from

cūrā · Medieval Latin — care, charge, cure

From Ecclesiastical Latin sine cūrā literally “without care”, an ellipsis of beneficium sine cūrā, formed from Medieval Latin sine (“without”) + cūrā (“care, charge, cure”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

sinecure in the wild

A sinecure can also be given to an individual whose primary job is in another office, but requires a sinecure title to perform that job.
Sinecure
For example, the Government House Leader in Canada is often given a sinecure ministry position so that they may become a member of the Cabinet.
Sinecure
The position was a sinecure, as the Emperor did not take advice and the navy did not take to sea.
Franz von Keil
From 1723 to 1823 the office was a sinecure held by members of the Abercrombie family, not necessarily connected with artistic ability.
Painter and Limner
Honorary titles also serve as positions of sinecure and honorary retirement.
Title of honor

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

the sine family

sincere

sinecure — used too rare to measure · point at the bar for the others

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