Abbey Definition
ăbē
abbeys
noun
A monastery supervised by an abbot.
American Heritage
A monastery headed by an abbot, or a convent of nuns headed by an abbess.
Webster's New World
A convent supervised by an abbess.
American Heritage
The monks or nuns in such a place, collectively.
Webster's New World
A church that is or once was part of a monastery or convent.
American Heritage
pronoun
A diminutive of the female given name Abigail.
Wiktionary
A diminutive of the male given name Albert.
Wiktionary
A British surname.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Abbey
Noun
Singular:
abbey
Plural:
abbeysOrigin of Abbey
From 1250 in Middle English as abbeye (“convent headed by an abbot”) (compare archaic English abbaye), from Old French abaïe, abbaïe, abeïe, abbeïe (Modern French abbaye) from Late Latin abbātia, from Classical Latin abbās (“abbot”). See abbot.
From Wiktionary
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Middle English from Old French abaie from Late Latin abbātia abbacy
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Abigail.
From Wiktionary
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