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Definition of abbot

abbot

/ˈæb.ət/
ab · bot
Plural:abbots
•
Adjective:abbatial
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abbot Lexical Profile

abbot Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A man who is the head or superior of an abbey of monks in various Christian traditions, or an analogous male spiritual leader of a major Buddhist monastery.

Example

"The abbot welcomed the visiting scholars to the ancient monastery and granted them access to the library."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for abbot

Word Nuance & Usage

An abbot is specifically the male head of an abbey of monks; the female equivalent who heads an abbey of nuns is an 'abbess', while the second-in-command or head of a smaller priory is a 'prior'.

• Rhymes for abbot

• Nearby Words

abbas
abbess
abbey
abbot
abbreviate
abbreviation
abbreviator

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English abbod, reinforced by Old French abet, from Late Latin abbas (genitive abbatis), via Ancient Greek abbas from Aramaic abba, meaning 'father', originally used as a title of respect for senior Christian monks.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Abbot. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/abbot
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