COMMENDAM

commendam (k[schwa]-men-dam or -d[schwa]m). 1. Hist. Eccles. law. A vacant benefice held by a clerk until a regular pastor could be appointed. • Bishops and other dignitaries found commendams to be lucrative sources of income. Commendams were abolished in England in 1836. See BENEFICE. 2. Partnership in com-mendam. See limited partnership under PARTNERSHIP.