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• abbot
  abbot

  noun

  a man who is the head or superior, usually elected, of a monastery.
• Abbot
  Abbot

  noun

  Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.

abbot

¹ American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

• abbots
  plural

1. a man who is the head or superior, usually elected, of a monastery.

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Abbot ² American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.

2. Also Abbott a first name.

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abbot British  

/ ˈæbət /

noun

1. the superior of an abbey of monks

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• abbotcy
  noun
• abbotship
  noun
• subabbot
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• abbots
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of abbot

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. )

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Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abbot Abbot abbots

"People are facing many economic hardships," said the abbot, U Thudassa.

From Barron's ● Mar. 26, 2026

“I am looking forward to the silence finally stopping, because 54 years of silence is a long time,” said Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos, the abbot of the seminary.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025

St Beuno, a seventh century abbot, was said to be so grateful to a curlew for rescuing his prayer book after it fell into the sea that he asked for all curlews to be protected.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2024

The abbot told him to begin every morning by performing exactly 108 bows, a meditation exercise in Korean Buddhism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2024

They knelt together, the three of them, and the abbot began to whisper.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Abbot guides blue shark snorkelling trips off of Pembrokeshire and was on a scheduled snorkelling trip in the Celtic Sea on 25 September when he discovered the rare find.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

The private requiem mass included a homily from the Rt Rev David Charlesworth, Abbot of Buckfast.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

Competitors for Afib products exist, mainly Abbot Laboratories.

From Barron's ● May 28, 2026

The business created by Goel and Raheja operated under various names, including Abbot Pacific LLC and Jet Set Work LLC, according to prosecutors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026

The Abbot wiped his paws upon a clean cloth.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

State media puts out a continuous stream of reports showing the diminutive dictator lavishing gifts on temples, and as a pallbearer at the funerals of senior abbots.

From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2024

Bishoprics and monasteries behaved the same way; abbots and abbesses could be lords who were owed service and also owed service to greater lords.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023

The number of temples has tripled, monks and abbots have become well-known public figures, and China has used the faith to build ties around the world, sending nuns and monks on goodwill missions.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2018

The number of temples has tripled, monks and abbots have become well-known public figures, and China has used the faith to build ties around the world, sending out nuns and monks on good-will missions.

From New York Times ● Sep. 15, 2018

Mozetta, mō-tset′ta, n. a short cape to which a hood may be attached, worn by popes, cardinals, bishops, abbots.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

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