Definition

1. Noun (plural): In historical and ecclesiastical contexts, "annates" refers to the first year's revenue or profits of a vacant ecclesiastical benefice (such as a bishopric or parish) paid to the papal treasury or to a secular ruler.

Usage Examples

• (The first year's income from a church position was paid to the Pope.)
• (The initial profits from church offices were regularly levied.)
• (The practice of sending first-year church revenues to the Pope was ended.)

Advanced Usage

• "annates" in historical legal documents: The term often appears in statutes and treaties concerning church-state relations.

  • The Act of Annates (1532) restricted the flow of funds from English benefices to the Papacy. (A law limiting the payment of first-year church revenues to the Pope.)

• "annates" as a form of feudal dues: In some contexts, annates were similar to a tax on the appointment of a new officeholder.

  • The king demanded annates from the newly appointed abbot. (The ruler claimed the first year's income of the monastery.)

Variants and Related Words

• Annal (n): a record of events year by year (not directly related to annates, but shares the Latin root annus meaning "year").

  • The annal of the monastery detailed the payment of annates. (The yearly record mentioned the first-year revenues.)

• Anniversary (n): the annual recurrence of a date (also from annus).

  • The anniversary of the Act of Annates was commemorated. (The yearly remembrance of the law.)

Synonyms

• First-fruits: a historical term synonymous with annates, referring to the first year's profits of a benefice.

  • The clergy paid first-fruits to the church authority. (The initial income of a church office was surrendered.)

• Primitiae: a Latin term meaning "first fruits," used interchangeably with annates in ecclesiastical contexts.

  • The primitiae were collected by the papal treasury. (The first-year revenues were gathered by the Pope.)

Related Idioms

• "Pay one's annates": an outdated expression meaning to submit to ecclesiastical taxation.

  • The new bishop was forced to pay his annates before taking office. (He had to surrender his first year's income.)

• "Annates of office": a metaphorical use referring to any initial payment or sacrifice for a position.

  • The CEO considered the company's losses as the annates of his new role. (He viewed the initial setbacks as the cost of taking the job.)