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abbesses

 - 3 dictionary results

ab⋅bess

  [ab-is]
Use abbesses in a Sentence
–noun
a woman who is the superior of a convent of nuns.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME abbesse < OF abbesse, abaesse < LL abbātissa, fem. of abbās abbot; r. ME abbatisse < LL; in turn r. OE abadisse, abbodesse (cf. OHG abbatissa) < LL *ab(b)adissa for abbātissa

Usage note:
See -ess.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To abbesses
ab·bess   (āb'ĭs)   
n.  

  1. The superior of a convent.

  2. Abbr. Abb. Used as a title for such a person.


[Middle English abesse, from Old French, from Late Latin abbātissa, from abbās, abbāt-, abbot; see abbot.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

abbess 
1297, abbese, from O.Fr. abbesse, from L.L. abbatissa, fem. of abbas (see abbot).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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