a monastery under the supervision of an abbot or a convent under the supervision of an abbess.
the group of buildings comprising such a monastery or convent.
the church of an abbey.
Edward, 1927–89, U.S. novelist and nature writer.
Edwin Austin, 1852–1911, U.S. painter and illustrator.
a first name, form of Abigail.
a building inhabited by a community of monks or nuns governed by an abbot or abbess
a church built in conjunction with such a building
such a community of monks or nuns
1200–50; Middle English abbey ( e ) < Old French abeie < Late Latin abbātia abbacy
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 An abbey can be a monastery or convent, which is either composed of monks or nuns who have withdrawn from society to live a life of poverty and chastity.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.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To reach the abbey, visitors must climb the town’s famous 199 steps that rise along the cliff.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
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
At this abbey they were to wait until King Bagdemagus could be brought over, and then the arrangements to the tournament were to be made.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
