general something that relates to benefices.

Beneficiary, beneficiarius, is more particularly used for a beneficed person, or him who receives and enjoys one or more benefices. A beneficiary is not the proprietor of the revenues of his church; he has only the administration of them, though unaccountable for the same to any but God.

Beneficiary is also used, in middle-age writers, for a feudatory or vassal. The denomination was also given to the clerks or officers who kept the accounts of the beneficia, and made the writings necessary thereto.

Beneficium, in military matters among the Romans, denoted a promotion to a higher rank by the favour of some person in authority.