abbess

American  

[ab-is] / ˈæb ɪs /

noun

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

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abbess British  

/ ˈæbɪs /

noun

1. the female superior of a convent

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Gender

What's the difference between abbess and abbot? See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of abbess

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

Explanation

An abbess is the head of a group of nuns. Typically, a woman has been a nun for many years before becoming an abbess. In the Catholic church, the male superior of monks is called an abbot. The female equivalent is an abbess, who's kind of the boss of the nuns at an abbey (which simply means "place where monks or nuns live"). We can trace this word all the way back to the Aramaic abba, an honorific title that means "the father" or "my father."

Example Sentences

Sarah Kirkland Snider’s fascinating “Hildegard,” which had its New York debut at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater on Friday, explores the life and mind of the 12th-century Benedictine abbess, visionary and composer Hildegard von Bingen.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

“It’s not the purpose of our life, lest we break the equilibrium - rather, it’s to turn work into prayer,” said the abbess, Almudena Vilariño.

From Washington Times • Dec. 17, 2023

“The Dodgers capitulated in response to hateful and misleading information from people outside their community,” Sister Rosie Partridge, president and an abbess of the San Francisco Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2023

However, the grave finds suggested it was of a very devout high-status woman such as an abbess, royalty, or perhaps both, archaeologists said.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2023

Saint Winifred recovered from her decapitation and became an abbess.

From "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village" by Laura Amy Schlitz

Related Words

• sister