SIMONY
simony, barratry
(noun) traffic in ecclesiastical offices or preferments
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
simony (countable and uncountable, plural simonies)
The buying or selling of spiritual or sacred things, such as ecclesiastical offices, pardons, or consecrated objects.
Synonyms
• Simonism
Coordinate terms
• barratry
Anagrams
• Nimoys, isonym, myosin
Source: Wiktionary
Sim"o*ny, n. Etym: [F. simonie, LL. simonia, fr. Simon Magus, who
wished to purchase the power of conferring the Holy Spirit. Acts
viii.]
Definition: The crime of buying or selling ecclesiastical preferment; the
corrupt presentation of any one to an ecclesiastical benefice for
money or reward. Piers Plowman.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition