abbacy

views updated May 29 2018

abbacy XV. — ecclL. abbācia, var. of abbātia, f. abbāt- ABBOT; see -ACY. abbé XVI. — F., see ABBOT. abbess XIII. — OF. ab(b)esse :- ecclL. abbatissa, f. abbāt-. abbey XIII. — OF. ab(b)eie (mod. abbaye) :- ecclL. abbātia; see next, -Y3. abbot OE. abbod, -ad (cf. OHG. abbat, Du., G. abt) — ecclL. abbatem, for abbātem (whence F. abbé), nom. abba(s) — ecclGr. abbâ — Aram. abbā father; the word was formerly applied in the East gen. to monks. The var. sp. abbat (XII) was esp. freq. XV–XVII.