abbey

English

/ˈæb.i/

noun
Definitions
  • The office or dominion of an abbot or abbess.
  • A monastery or society of people, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy, which is headed by an abbot or abbess; also, the monastic building or buildings.
  • The church of a monastery.
  • (British English) A residence that was previously an abbatial building.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English abbey derived from Old French abaie, abaïe derived from Latin abbātia.

Origin

Latin

abbātia

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

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Cognates and derived terms