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• abigail
  abigail

  noun

  a lady's maid.
• Abigail
  Abigail

  noun

  (in the Bible) the wife of Nabal and later of David.

abigail

¹ American  

[ab-i-gayl] / ˈæb ɪˌgeɪl /

noun

1. a lady's maid.

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Abigail ² American  

[ab-i-gayl] / ˈæb ɪˌgeɪl /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the wife of Nabal and later of David.

2. a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “joy of the father.”

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Abigail British  

/ ˈæbɪˌɡeɪl /

noun

1. Old Testament the woman who brought provisions to David and his followers and subsequently became his wife (I Samuel 25:1–42)

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Etymology

Origin of abigail

1645–55; after Abigail, name of attendant in play The Scornful Lady (1610), by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

abigail Abigail

Ay, excepting her ladyship and her ladyship's abigail.

From Rookwood by William Harrison Ainsworth

Madame had none on whom she could rely except her faithful abigail.

From The Maid of Honour (Vol. 3 of 3) A Tale of the Dark Days of France by Lewis Wingfield

There is a fine opportunity, for Mr. Pye Hilary is in love, in despair, and in waiting: he expects his mistress’s abigail; in negociating with whom, he conceives Tarradiddle will be a valuable assistant.

From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, October 2, 1841 by Various

The Marquise de Gange and her abigail having succumbed to the scourge, the inmates of the chateau must flee, or endure ostracism--they would be banned like lepers.

From The Maid of Honour (Vol. 3 of 3) A Tale of the Dark Days of France by Lewis Wingfield

Her cheeks flamed before the sharp eyes of the abigail, and then flamed again with scorn at her own folly.

From The Fortunes of the Farrells by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

It makes sense to be headquartered in California, both because of its history of car culture and its “positive vision of the future,” said Abigail Ramsden, Rivian’s senior manager of state policy for Western states.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

"These are thick blocks of ice that can drift for years," specifies Dr. Abigail Dalton of the Canadian Ice Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026

We also have even more moderate Democrats, like Abigail Spanberger, who’s passing good legislation.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026

Now, after Welsh identical twins Abigail and Emily Roper won bronze medals within a couple of hours of each other on Monday, Evans has delivered gold.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Abigail tended to reinforce this belief in executive independence.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis