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• abbé
  abbé

  noun

  (especially in France)
• Abbe
  Abbe

  noun

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

abbé

American  

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

noun

abbés plural

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• abbés
  plural

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

"Now go to your room," said the abbé.

From Black Diamonds by Jókai, Mór

His father married again; the stepmother did not get on well with Paul, and he was half obliged and half induced to become an abbé.

From A Short History of French Literature by Saintsbury, George

Related Words

• minister