abigail

¹

[ab-i-geyl]

noun

1. a lady's maid.

Abigail

²

[ab-i-geyl]

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.”

Abigail

/ 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)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Abigail¹

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

Example Sentences

Abigail Spanberger, the careful Democrat, won’t renounce her party’s attorney general nominee.

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Democrat Abigail Spanberger is the favorite in Virginia’s race for governor.

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Republicans are trying to tie the Jones scandal to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, who has denounced Jones’ comments but stayed short of withdrawing her support.

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Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman, said Thursday that “Joe Biden should’ve never downgraded the sentences of these heinous criminals.”

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In New York, agent Abigail Palanca said it helped her sell a Brooklyn townhouse for $2.995 million.

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