An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Pfründe

by Friedrich Kluge

Pfründe, feminine, ‘benefice, living,’ from Middle High German pfrüende, pfruonde, Old High German pfruonta, feminine, food, maintenance; especially the provisions supplied according to agreement; spiritual office and its revenue’; corresponding to the equivalent Old Saxon prevenda, feminine, Dutch prove. Borrowed in the 8th century from Middle Latin 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 Italian provenda, French provende, ‘store of provisions,’ Italian prebenda, French prébende, ‘prebend.’