abbé
noun
(especially in France)
abbé
American
[a-bay, ab-ay, a -bay]
/ æˈbeɪ, ˈæb eɪ, aˈbeɪ /
noun
-
abbés
plural
abbé
1
British
/ abe, ˈæbeɪ /
noun
-
a French abbot
-
a title used in addressing any other French cleric, such as a priest
Abbe
2
British
/ ˈaːbə, ˈæbɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of abbé
First recorded in 1520–30; from French, Middle French, from Late Latin abbāte(m), accusative of abbās abbot
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Morse got most of this story from a book written by a Scottish academic named John Robison, who in turn took many of his ideas from the abbé de Barruel, a French priest.
From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2022
He even took minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church in 1865, becoming an abbé but appropriately stopping short of the vow of chastity.
From New York Times ● Oct. 22, 2011
This smoothness has perhaps a slight tinge of the priestly—for, as Renan first studied for the priesthood, so Dupont-Sommer was once an abbé.
From The New Yorker ● May 6, 1955
The abbé spoke some words to Voltaire, exhorting him to patience.
From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 7 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Discussions by Robert Green Ingersoll
Notwithstanding this candid remark, the abbé of St. Yves asked him, which of the three languages pleased him best, the Huron, English, or French?
From Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume by
Hudson Abbe and Sean Downs each hit home runs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
During Friday's hearing, one of Lemon's lawyers, Abbe Lowell, expressed concerns to the judge that investigators had taken Lemon's mobile phone when they arrested him in Los Angeles late last month, according to US media.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said Lemon was in Los Angeles to cover the upcoming Grammy Awards when he was apprehended in a hotel lobby late Thursday night.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2026
“Ease” survived, but Abbe soon sold the work to railroad baron Collis Potter Huntington to help relieve his financial difficulties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
Abbe, Cleveland, American meteorologist and astronomer, born at New York in 1838, and educated at Harvard.
From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 1 A to Amide by Various
He finally persuaded one of the "abbés" to study the question thoroughly and on that occasion indicated exactly how he stood in matters of government.
From Thomas Jefferson The Apostle of Americanism by Gilbert Chinard
The clergy nominated bishops and abbés attached to privilege, and curés favourable to the popular cause, which was their own; lastly, the third estate selected men enlightened, firm, and unanimous in their wishes.
From History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814 by M. (François-Auguste-Marie-Alexis) Mignet
We cannot conclude this article better than by honorably mentioning two classes of men whom we have seen in all their glory, and whom the Revolution has eclipsed--the chevaliers and the abbés.
From Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 6 by Hamilton Wright Mabie
The metropolitan, the bishops, the abbés, the princes, and all the lords and warriors who had distinguished themselves during the siege of Kezan, were invited.
From The Empire of Russia by John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
The young abbés and priests were very good fellows, earnest believers, but so simple that conversations with them were only interesting because of their ignorance and lack of understanding.
From Recollections of My Childhood and Youth by Georg Morris Cohen Brandes
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