An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Pfründe

by Friedrich Kluge

Pfründe, f., ‘benefice, living,’ from MidHG. pfrüende, pfruonde, OHG. pfruonta, f., food, maintenance; espec. the provisions supplied according to agreement; spiritual office and its revenue’; corresponding to the equiv. OSax. prevenda, f., Du. prove. Borrowed in the 8th cent. from MidLat. provenda, a variant of the earlier and more frequent praebenda (see Propst), which signified ‘cibi ac potus portiones diurnae, quae monachis, canonicis &c. praebentur’; hence Ital. provenda, Fr. provende, ‘store of provisions,’ Ital. prebenda, Fr. prébende, ‘prebend.’