Prefermentumokat

Prefermentumokat is a Hungarian plural noun used in historical and philological discussions to refer to preferments—appointments to offices that confer income, status, or duties. The term derives from the Latin noun prefermentum and is typically encountered in studies of ecclesiastical patronage, canon law, and late antique to early modern administration.

The singular prefermentum denotes a promotion, grant, or benefice awarded by a higher authority to a cleric or official. The plural prefermentumokat appears when discussing several such appointments or examples. In scholarly contexts, the concept is often connected to the rights of patrons, bishops, chapters, or secular rulers to appoint individuals to benefices or offices.

In the medieval and early modern church, preferments were a central mechanism of patronage. Chapters, bishops, and princes could grant a benefice or prebend, sometimes accompanied by stipends, housing, or other income. Appointment often required consent from other authorities and could significantly influence a cleric’s career, regional influence, and the balance of power within ecclesiastical or secular hierarchies.

Today the term is mostly found in scholarly translations of Latin sources or in discussions of historical patronage. In everyday Hungarian, terms such as elöléptetés (promotion) or phrases referring to benefices might be used instead. The concept remains relevant for understanding how offices and incomes were distributed within ecclesiastical and secular hierarchies.