In the Middle Ages, an obedientiary or obedienciary (from the Latin obedientiarius, meaning someone in an 'obedient', i.e. subordinate, position) was a lesser official of a monastery appointed by will of the superior. In some cases the word is used to include all those who held office beneath the abbot, but more frequently the prior and sub-prior -who technically qualify in an abbacy- are excluded from those signified by it.