Added 10 October 2026
abbess
/ˈæb.ɪs/ noun
In Latin: abbātissa Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about abbess at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
The abbess was always after the nuns to keep the convent immaculately clean.
- A woman who runs a brothel; a woman employed by a prostitute to find clients.
Origin
From Middle English abbesse, from Old French abeesse (French abbesse), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbatissa, feminine of Latin abbas, abbatis (“abbot”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)