Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.
Also Abbott a first name.
First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of abbat, from Latin abbāt- (stem of abbās ), from Greek, from Aramaic abbā; replacing Middle English, Old English abbod (compare Old High German abbat ), from Late Latin abbād- for abbāt-; cf. Abba 1 ( def. )
An abbot is the head of a monastery. Just as businesses have bosses and teams have coaches, the monastery has an abbot. The word abbot comes from the Greek abbas, which means "father” as a title with honor. An abbot is the superior of a monastery, the father of the fathers — in other words. Other monks must obey the abbot, and the abbot should lead and inspire all the monks.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Irth’s team includes Mack Abbot, a former employee of Starboard Value, the activist hedge fund that made an investment in Papa Johns several years ago and whose founder became chairman of its board.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Austins department store in Newton Abbot, Devon, was also targeted by Strange on three separate occasions – and staff said they too were able to figure out who she was.
From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025
But Abbot Joseph Mpundu, a standard bearer for the repressed 1992 protests against Mobutu's rule, takes a dim view of any rehabilitation of the ex-dictator's image.
From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025
Members of the board are appointed by the governor of the state, Greg Abbot, a Republican.
From Salon • Sep. 23, 2025
“Ah, Father Abbot, you read me like a book. I do have a secret, but trust me, all will be made known to you in the fullness of time.”
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
