abbot

¹ American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. a man who is the head or superior, usually elected, of a monastery.

---

Abbot ² American  

[ab-uht] / ˈæb ət /

noun

1. Charles Greeley, 1872–1973, U.S. astrophysicist.

2. Also Abbott a first name.

---

abbot British  

/ ˈæbət /

noun

1. the superior of an abbey of monks

---

Other Word Forms

• abbotcy noun
• abbotship noun
• subabbot noun

Etymology

Origin of abbot

First recorded before 900; Middle English, variant of abbat, from Latin abbāt- (stem of abbās ), from Greek, from Aramaic abbā; replacing Middle English, Old English abbod (compare Old High German abbat ), from Late Latin abbād- for abbāt-; Abba ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

"People are facing many economic hardships," said the abbot, U Thudassa.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

“I am looking forward to the silence finally stopping, because 54 years of silence is a long time,” said Bishop Kassianos of Aravissos, the abbot of the seminary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

But she goes over the head of her adversarial abbot, Cuno, and convinces the Pope that her visions are the voice of God.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

St Beuno, a seventh century abbot, was said to be so grateful to a curlew for rescuing his prayer book after it fell into the sea that he asked for all curlews to be protected.

From BBC • Aug. 3, 2024

It creaked so loudly the abbot flinched, expecting it to splinter under the boy’s enormous weight.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Related Words

• monk