abbess
[ ab-is ]
/ ˈæb ɪs /
noun
a woman who is the superior of a convent of nuns.
Words nearby abbess
abbatial, abbe, abbe condenser, abbe number, abbed, abbess, abbeville, abbevillian, abbey, abbey theatre, abbie
Origin of abbess
1275–1325; Middle English abbesse < Old French abbesse, abaesse < Late Latin abbātissa, feminine of abbās abbot; replacing Middle English abbatisse < Late Latin; in turn replacing Old English abadisse, abbodesse (compare Old High German abbatissa) < Late Latin *ab(b)adissa for abbātissa
usage note for abbess
See -ess.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for abbess
British Dictionary definitions for abbess
abbess
/ (ˈæbɪs) /
noun
the female superior of a convent
Word Origin for abbess
C13: from Old French, from Church Latin abbātissa
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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