abbot

noun

ab·​bot ˈa-bət How to pronounce abbot (audio)
: the superior of a monastery for men

Examples of abbot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Clarke, who was the abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey from 1975 to 1995, died in 2019. Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 23 Aug. 2025 The abbots also disputed her claims of being underpaid and forced into long hours of secular work. Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025 Persuaded by his students, the abbot of San Francisco Zen Center, Suzuki Roshi, attended and sat by the stage smiling and holding a flower. Dennis McNally, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025 Wright was assigned the role of prior, the position just below the abbot, and was responsible for much of the operation of the abbey. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abbot

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abbot, abbod, going back to Old English, borrowed from Late Latin abbāt-, abbās, borrowed from Late Greek abbâs (also, a title of respect given to monks), borrowed from Aramaic abbā "father"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abbot was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Abbot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbot. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

abbot

noun
ab·​bot ˈab-ət How to pronounce abbot (audio)
: the head of a monastery for men

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