abbey
1 Americannoun
plural
abbeys-
a monastery under the supervision of an abbot or a convent under the supervision of an abbess.
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the group of buildings comprising such a monastery or convent.
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the church of an abbey.
noun
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Edward, 1927–89, U.S. novelist and nature writer.
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Edwin Austin, 1852–1911, U.S. painter and illustrator.
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a first name, form of Abigail.
noun
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a building inhabited by a community of monks or nuns governed by an abbot or abbess
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a church built in conjunction with such a building
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such a community of monks or nuns
Etymology
Origin of abbey
1200–50; Middle English abbey ( e ) < Old French abeie < Late Latin abbātia abbacy
Explanation
An abbey is a church that's part of a monastery or convent. You'll often find monks or nuns in an abbey. There are a few types of abbeys, but they're all related to intense religious dedication. An abbey can be a monastery or convent, which is either composed of monks or nuns who have withdrawn from society to live a life of poverty and chastity. You can also call a church associated with a monastery or convent an abbey. That type of abbey will be run by the monks or nuns but also open to other churchgoers.
Vocabulary lists containing abbey
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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.
Chinese brides lining up to marry in Yorkshire abbey.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
First seen in its full glory at the nearby abbey of St. Denis, Gothic architecture served an age without electricity—one that learned to reduce its walls to their physical minimum in order to welcome sunlight.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025
She did not date a Nazi named Rolf, and she did not call out “Rolf, please!” while hiding in an abbey.
From Slate • Jan. 26, 2025
Rebecca was one of six women to receive a "meagre" amount of compensation from the abbey in a civil claim in 2017, but it came without an apology.
From BBC • Dec. 9, 2024
Then Alyce, with baskets tied to each end of a pole, walked with the cat to the abbey gardens to gather fallen fruit.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
