abbé

American  

[a-bey, ab-ey, a-bey] / æˈbeɪ, ˈæb eɪ, aˈbeɪ /

noun

plural

abbés

1. (especially in France)

   1. a member of the secular clergy.

   2. a title of respect for any ecclesiastic or clergyman.

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abbé ¹ British  

/ abe, ˈæbeɪ /

noun

1. a French abbot

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

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Abbe ² British  

/ ˈaːbə, ˈæbɪ /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of abbé

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

Example Sentences

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

At Modena, it happened that the pair fell in with some very devout people, and saw the "admonition" of an abbé of their acquaintance, who was punished in public after a severe and impressive fashion.

From The Comedies of Carlo Goldoni edited with an introduction by Helen Zimmern by Goldoni, Carlo

I went to her home, I found the abbé, I applauded his verses as all Paris has since done, but I did not see the brother of the mistress of the house....

From Beaumarchais and the War of American Independence by Kite, Elizabeth S.

Related Words

• minister