abbé

[ a-bey, ab-ey; French a-bey ]

noun

, plural ab·bés [a-, beyz, ab, -eyz, a, -, bey].

1. (especially in France)
   1. a member of the secular clergy.
   2. a title of respect for any ecclesiastic or clergyman.

abbé

¹

/ ˈæbeɪ; abe /

noun

1. a French abbot
2. a title used in addressing any other French cleric, such as a priest

Abbe

²

/ ˈæbɪ; ˈaːbə /

noun

1. AbbeErnst18401905MGermanSCIENCE: physicist Ernst. 1840–1905, German physicist, noted for his work in optics and the microscope condenser known as the Abbe condenser

Word History and Origins

Origin of abbé¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from French, Middle French, from Late Latin abbāte(m), accusative of abbās abbot

Example Sentences

Kelley and her husband hired a prominent lawyer, Abbe Lowell.

From The Daily Beast

Defense attorney Abbe Lowell is a wiry man who seems to never stop moving when he speaks in a courtroom.

From The Daily Beast

Lead defense attorney Abbe Lowell looked worried at the end of the 17th day of testimony at the John Edwards trial.

From The Daily Beast

And how, exactly, does lead defense attorney Abbe Lowell plan to do that?

From The Daily Beast

As Abbe wades through her grief and her history, her marriage with Greg begins to fall apart.

From The Daily Beast

Like the Abbe Sieyes, Mr. Paine had completely mastered the science of government, which was in fact extremely simple.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a descendant of the famous Abbe de Camps, so well known among bookmen and savants.

From Project Gutenberg

A few more Abbe de Pradits, a few more newspaper articles, and from being an emperor, Napoleon would have turned into an ogre.

From Project Gutenberg

Abbe Stadler might well say to the stranger from Poland that Vienna was no longer what it used to be.

From Project Gutenberg

The Abbe Deforges, of Etampes, announced in the journals in 1772 that he would perform the great feat.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• minister