abbess

[ ab-is ]
/ ˈæb ɪs /

noun

a woman who is the superior of a convent of nuns.

Origin of abbess

1275–1325; Middle English abbesse < Old French abbesse, abaesse < Late Latin abbātissa, feminine of abbās abbot; replacing Middle English abbatisse < Late Latin; in turn replacing Old English abadisse, abbodesse (compare Old High German abbatissa) < Late Latin *ab(b)adissa for abbātissa

usage note for abbess

See -ess.

Example sentences from the Web for abbess

British Dictionary definitions for abbess

abbess
/ (ˈæbɪs) /

noun

the female superior of a convent

Word Origin for abbess

C13: from Old French, from Church Latin abbātissa