abbacy

[ ab-uh-see ]

noun

, plural ab·ba·cies.

1. the rank, rights, privileges, or jurisdiction of an abbot.
2. the term of office of an abbot.

abbacy

/ ˈæbəsɪ /

noun

1. the office, term of office, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess

Word History and Origins

Origin of abbacy¹

1400–50; late Middle English abbacie, abbat ( h ) ie < Late Latin abbātia ( abbey ), equivalent to abbāt- ( abbot ) + -ia -ia

Word History and Origins

Origin of abbacy¹

C15: from Church Latin abbātia, from abbāt- abbot

Example Sentences

I would argue that annal is more likely to be used than attar, hondo, tori, torii, nene, and abbacy, just a sampling of the words that have eluded me in the past six months that I have been working the Bee on a daily basis.

From Slate

Scrabble annoys me; I can’t trust a game in which a well-played za scores more points than, well, abbacy.

From Slate

The vilest traffickers in souls are all His chapmen, and for gold a prebend’s stall He’ll sell them, or an abbacy or mitre.

From Project Gutenberg

Temporal princes were more ready to turn the power of confirmation to profitable account, and few imitated the example of Philip Augustus, who, when the abbacy of St. Denis became vacant, and the provost, the treasurer, and the cellarer of the abbey each sought him secretly, and gave him five hundred livres for the succession, quietly went to the abbey, picked out a simple monk standing in a corner, conferred the dignity on him, and handed him the fifteen hundred livres.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1542 he received the cardinal’s hat, and in 1578 when he was called to succeed his grandnephew Sebastian on the throne, he held the archbishoprics of Lisbon and Coimbra as well as that of Braga, in addition to the wealthy abbacy of Alcobazar.

From Project Gutenberg