Dictionary

abbess en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈæb.ɛs/ (General-American)
• /ˈæb.ɪs/ (General-American)
• (Canada) audio
• /ˈæb.ɛs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈæb.ɪs/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Afroasiatic *ʔab- Proto-Semitic *ʔabw- Aramaic אַבָּא (ʾabbā)bor. Ancient Greek ἀββα (abba) Ancient Greek ἀββᾶς (abbâs)bor. Latin abbās Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂der. Ancient Greek -ῐᾰ (-ĭă) Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa)bor. Latin -issa Latin abbātissa Old French abeessebor. Middle English abbesse English abbess From Middle English abbesse, from Old French abeesse (French abbesse), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbatissa, feminine of Latin abbas, abbatis (“abbot”).

Meanings

1. A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks.
   • The abbess was always after the nuns to keep the convent immaculately clean.
2. (British, archaic, slang) A woman who runs a brothel; a woman employed by a prostitute to find clients.
   • Why laſt night, as Colonel Kill'em, Sir William Weezy, Lord Frederick Foretop, and I were careleſsly ſliding the Ranelagh round, picking our teeth, after a damn'd muzzy dinner at Boodle's, who ſhould trip by but an abbeſs, well known about town, with a ſmart little nun in her ſuite. 1770, Samuel Foote, The Lame Lover, a Comedy in Three Acts. […], London: […] Paul Vaillant; and sold by P[eter] Elmsly […]; and Robinson and Roberts, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 12:
   • "I mean to inform you," answered the Oxonian, with a grin on his face, "that those three nymphs, who have so much dazzled your optics, are three nuns, and the plump female is Mother .... of great notoriety, but generally designated the Abbess of .... Her residence is at no great distance from one of the royal palaces; and she is distinguished for her bold ingenuous line of conduct in the profession which she has chosen to adopt; so much so, indeed, that she eclipses all her competitors in infamy." 1881, Pierce Egan, chapter 8, in Life in London, page 205:
   • So an old Abbess for the rattling Rakes, / A tempting dish of human nature makes, / And dresses up a luscious Maid: / I rather should have said, indeed, undresses, / To please a youth's unsanctified caresses. 1793, John Wolcot, A Poetical, Serious, and Possibly Impertinent, Epistle to the Pope, Ode II, page 33:

Forms

Relateds

abbot · abbey

Synonyms

bawd (woman who runs a brothel) · madam (woman who runs a brothel) · lady abbess (woman who runs a brothel) · Covent Garden abbess (woman who runs a brothel) · mother superior (female superior of a nunnery)

Translations (70)

sv abbedissa (female superior of a nunnery) · eo abatino (female superior of a nunnery) · gv ben abb (female superior of a nunnery) · ro stareță (female superior of a nunnery) · ar رَئِيسِيَّة دَيْر (female superior of a nunnery) · mk игуменија (female superior of a nunnery) · es abadesa (female superior of a nunnery) · gd ban-aba (female superior of a nunnery) · vi bà trưởng tu viện (female superior of a nunnery) · ga ban-ab (female superior of a nunnery) · fro abeesse (female superior of a nunnery) · ka აბატისა (female superior of a nunnery) · ang abbodesse (female superior of a nunnery) · de Priorin (female superior of a nunnery) · ast abadesa (female superior of a nunnery) · tr başrahibe (female superior of a nunnery) · lt abatė (female superior of a nunnery) · da abbedisse (female superior of a nunnery) · ja 尼僧院長 (female superior of a nunnery) · vo jilepädan (female superior of a nunnery) · ru игу́менья (female superior of a nunnery) · ga máthairab (female superior of a nunnery) · nn abbedisse (female superior of a nunnery) · ca abadessa (female superior of a nunnery) · ia Abbatessa (female superior of a nunnery) · ru аббати́са (female superior of a nunnery) · hu apácafőnöknő (female superior of a nunnery) · hy մայրապետ (female superior of a nunnery) · gl abadesa (female superior of a nunnery) · tl abadesa (female superior of a nunnery) · fi abbedissa (female superior of a nunnery) · el ηγουμένη (female superior of a nunnery) · be абаты́са (female superior of a nunnery) · pl przeorysza (female superior of a nunnery) · kw abases (female superior of a nunnery) · gv ard-chaillagh (female superior of a nunnery) · nrf abbêsse (female superior of a nunnery) · roa-opt abadessa (female superior of a nunnery) · ru настоя́тельница (female superior of a nunnery) · la abbātissa (female superior of a nunnery) · nl abdis (female superior of a nunnery) · gv ard-ven reill (female superior of a nunnery) · de Oberin (female superior of a nunnery) · lv abate (female superior of a nunnery) · br abadez (female superior of a nunnery) · mk опатица (female superior of a nunnery) · is abbadís (female superior of a nunnery) · pl opatka (female superior of a nunnery) · cy abades (female superior of a nunnery) · nb abbedisse (female superior of a nunnery) · hu apátnő (female superior of a nunnery) · cs abatyše (female superior of a nunnery) · it badessa (female superior of a nunnery) · pl ksieni (female superior of a nunnery) · gv moir abb (female superior of a nunnery) · io abadino (female superior of a nunnery) · et abtiss (female superior of a nunnery) · fr abbesse (female superior of a nunnery) · yi אַבאַטיצע (female superior of a nunnery) · bg игуменка (female superior of a nunnery) · sl opatinja (female superior of a nunnery) · uk абати́са (female superior of a nunnery) · eu abadesa (female superior of a nunnery) · hy աբբայուհի (female superior of a nunnery) · de Äbtissin (female superior of a nunnery) · pt abadessa (female superior of a nunnery) · vi nữ trưởng tu viện/ nữ trụ trì (female superior of a nunnery) · gv ard-chaillagh ghoo (female superior of a nunnery) · oc abadessa (female superior of a nunnery) · yi הויפּט־מאָנאַשקע (female superior of a nunnery)