Word o' the week

Courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and the lovely folks at Wikipedia:

sinecure (n.)
('sI-ni-"kyur, 'si-) [From the Medieval Latin sine cura without cure (of souls)] 1 archaic : an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls; 2 : an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income

As used in a sentence: "They can't imagine why Lieberman would accept an appointment that is likely to last for only two years when he can simply stay in the six-year sinecure that he worked so hard to keep." ("The Lieberman Maneuver," Salon.com, December 15, 2006 [which offers a "way out" in terms of senatorial power for the GOP/GWB even if Sen. Johnson of South Dakota makes a full recovery]).