abbot

¹ American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. a man who is the head or superior, usually elected, of a monastery.

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Abbot ² American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.

2. Also Abbott a first name.

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abbot British  

/ ˈæbət /

noun

1. the superior of an abbey of monks

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Other Word Forms

• abbotcy noun
• abbotship noun
• subabbot noun

Etymology

Origin of abbot

First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of abbat, from Latin abbāt- (stem of abbās ), from Greek, from Aramaic abbā; replacing Middle English, Old English abbod (compare Old High German abbat ), from Late Latin abbād- for abbāt-; Abba ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

"People are facing many economic hardships," said the abbot, U Thudassa.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“I am looking forward to the silence finally stopping, because 54 years of silence is a long time,” said Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos, the abbot of the seminary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Mr Shi, who has been Shaolin Temple's abbot since 1999, has earned the nickname "CEO monk" for transforming the institution into a global brand.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2025

The abbot told him to begin every morning by performing exactly 108 bows, a meditation exercise in Korean Buddhism.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2024

He had been promoted to the position of abbot of the monastery in Brno, and his administrative responsibilities were now making it impossible for him to continue any plant studies.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• monk