as in prioress
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Recent Examples of abbess
It’s been nearly 14 centuries since the monastery founded by St. Hild of Whitby, a prominent abbess in 7th century Anglo-Saxon England, hosted the Northumbrian kingdom’s assembly to discuss the date on which its Christian church would celebrate Easter.
—
Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023
Another early modern abbess, likely one Eadburg of Minster-in-Thanet, left behind a legacy of a different kind: her name and assorted doodles of humanoid figures, inscribed on the pages of an eighth-century Christian manuscript now housed at the University of Oxford.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2022
In 1151, Richardis was appointed the abbess of a convent far to the north, near Bremen, where her brother happened to be the archbishop.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023
This Eadburg taught another Englishwoman—Leoba, the abbess of Bischofsheim—how to read, according to an editorial in the Guardian.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for abbess
Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 28 Apr. 2023
Another early modern abbess, likely one Eadburg of Minster-in-Thanet, left behind a legacy of a different kind: her name and assorted doodles of humanoid figures, inscribed on the pages of an eighth-century Christian manuscript now housed at the University of Oxford.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Dec. 2022
In 1151, Richardis was appointed the abbess of a convent far to the north, near Bremen, where her brother happened to be the archbishop.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023
This Eadburg taught another Englishwoman—Leoba, the abbess of Bischofsheim—how to read, according to an editorial in the Guardian.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for abbess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abbess
Noun
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In response, the diocese said in a statement that the Holy See has acted toward healing the Arlington Carmel and the nuns in the community and not simply the former prioress and her former councilors.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2024
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Matrix by Lauren Groff Currents of violence and devotion coalesce around Marie de France, a 17-year-old sent to be the new prioress of a 12th-century English abbey.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
29 Mar. 2024
Noun
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But for some hundred years, groups of ladies of the night took vows and lived as nuns there, controlling the affairs of their own convent with an iron fist.—
Joelle Rollo-Koster,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
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During this period, the residence was handed over to a group of Benedictine nuns of the Diocese of Oria, who turned the estate into an olive farm and dairy.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Louise, a former anchoress, is her humble, tyrannical maid.—
Hervé Guibert,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Nov. 2024
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Some of the spotlighted individuals, like St. Catherine of Siena and English anchoress Julian of Norwich, were celebrated in their day as visionaries, while others, including Kempe and Joan of Arc, were persecuted as heretics.—
Meilan Solly,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Oct. 2024
Noun
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There are some things novice and experienced dog owners should know to raise a successful pup to adulthood.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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As Syrus Solo Jin wrote in Time, budget blunders by overwhelmed novices meant police weren’t paid on time.—
Michelle Goldberg,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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He is called upon by a monk from a secretive temple to protect a powerful child from a corrupt master, forcing him to confront his inner demons.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2025
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Portly monks, mischievous monkeys, witches and angels.—
Corina Knoll,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Someone who would later make his living from teaching the Course and selling his own tapes, lectures, and videos would have obvious mercenary reasons to construct the story of Helen as a true, reluctant priestess, the project as foreordained, and Jesus as the book’s authentic Voice.—
Sheila Heti,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Sep. 2024
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The origin story centers on Kraven's upbringing under a ruthless crime lord dad (Russell Crowe) and journey to become the world's greatest hunter, with Ariana DeBose as voodoo priestess Calypso and Alessandro Nivola as villainous Rhino.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA TODAY,
12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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King Sverre of Norway personally provided information to the writer, Icelandic abbot Karl Jónsson, and instructed him on the details of the saga, Brink added.—
Hannah Peart,
NBC News,
28 Oct. 2024
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The abbot told him to begin every morning by performing exactly 108 bows, a meditation exercise in Korean Buddhism.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Abbess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abbess. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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