Definition

Noun: 1. A parsonage, especially one provided for the holder of a benefice: A "glebe house" is a residence provided for a clergyman, such as a rector or vicar, as part of the endowment (the "glebe") associated with their parish or ecclesiastical living.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The new vicar moved into the glebe house next to the old church.
  • Historically, the income from the farmland and the right to live in the glebe house constituted the main parts of a rector's benefice.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical and legal contexts related to the Church of England and other Anglican traditions, referring specifically to the house tied to the glebe (church-owned agricultural land).
• In some regions, particularly Ireland, "Glebe House" can function as a proper name for specific historical buildings that were formerly parsonages.

Variants and Related Words

• Glebe (noun): A piece of land providing revenue for a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice.
• Parsonage (noun): A more general term for a house provided for a clergyman.
• Rectory (noun): The residence of a rector, often synonymous with glebe house in many contexts.
• Vicarage (noun): The residence of a vicar.

Synonyms

• Parsonage
• Rectory
• Vicarage
• Manse (used in some Protestant denominations)
• Clergy house

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning is specifically ecclesiastical and tied to property law within a church context. It is not a general term for any nice house in the country.
• While "glebe house" can be synonymous with "rectory" or "vicarage," its use emphasizes the legal and endowment-based provision of the residence as part of the church living.

Noun

1. a parsonage (especially one provided for the holder of a benefice)