prioress Hear it!

prioress definition

pri·or·ess (prī′ər is)

noun

  1. the woman head of a priory of nuns, etc.
  2. in an abbey of nuns, the woman in charge next below the abbess

Etymology: ME prioresse < MFr < ML(Ec) priorissa: see prior & -ess

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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