abbé

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Noun 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Noun 2.3.1 Synonyms 2.3.2 Related terms

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French.

[edit] Noun

abbé (plural abbés)

1. Alternative spelling of abbe.

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From Syriac abbā, father, related to Hebrew אב (av), “‘father’”). Compare English abbot.

[edit] Pronunciation

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• IPA: /a.be/, SAMPA: /a.be/

[edit] Noun

abbé m. (plural abbés; feminine abbesse, plural abbesses)

1. An abbot, the head of an abbey.

   Notes: "After the 16th century, the name was given, in social parlance, to candidates for some priory or abbey in the gift of the crown. Many of these aspirants became well known in literary and fashionable life. By further extension, the name came to be applied to unbeneficed secular ecclesiastics generally." - Littré

2. (dated) A title or honorific given to priests in general.

[edit] Synonyms

• (title): père

[edit] Related terms

• abbey
• abbot
• archabbot