abba

1 of 2

variant spelling of aba:2

abba

2 of 2

noun

ab·​ba
ˈabə,
aˈbä
plural -s
often capitalized
: father
a title of honor given variously to the Deity in the New Testament, to bishops and patriarchs in many Eastern churches, and to Jewish scholars in the Talmudic period

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Late Latin, borrowed from Greek, borrowed from Aramaic abbā

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near abba

Cite this Entry

“Abba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abba. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!