abbey

noun

ab·​bey ˈa-bē 

plural abbeys

1

a

: a monastery ruled by an abbot

b

: a convent ruled by an abbess

2

: an abbey church

Synonyms

• cloister
• friary
• hermitage
• monastery
• priory

Examples of abbey in a Sentence

the monks in the abbey grow all their own vegetables

Recent Examples on the Web

Groff reimagines the real-life 12th-century mystic poet Marie de France into a nun who, bit by bit, transforms her impoverished abbey into a feminist utopia. —Constance Grady, Vox, 5 Aug. 2024

The abbey sounds on his actual birthday, Nov. 14, as well as on the day of Trooping the Colour, which the British Army's parade for his official birthday as monarch, traditionally held in June. —Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024

The skeletons, which dated to between 670 and 940 AD, can help researchers understand how the abbey, which was initially a monastery, functioned. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 16 July 2024

Last fall, the team uncovered the ruins of a medieval building, or abbey, used by Benedictine monks in Tomajmonostora, Hungary’s National Institute of Archaeology said in a June 14 Facebook post. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 18 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abbeye, abbay, borrowed from Anglo-French abeie, abbaye, borrowed from Medieval Latin abbātia "abbacy, abbey," from Late Latin abbāt-, abbās abbot + Latin -ia -y entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

abbey

noun

ab·​bey ˈab-ē 

plural abbeys

1

a

: monastery

b

: convent

2

: a church that once belonged to an abbey

Westminster Abbey

Biographical Definition

Abbey

biographical name

Ab·​bey ˈa-bē 

Edwin Austin 1852–1911 American painter and illustrator