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Webster 1913 Edition


Abbot

Ab′bot

(ăb′bŭt)
,
Noun.
[AS.
abbod
,
abbad
, L.
abbas
,
abbatis
, Gr.
ἀββᾶς
, fr. Syriac
abbā
father. Cf.
Abba
,
Abbé
.]
1.
The superior or head of an abbey.
2.
One of a class of bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys.
Encyc. Brit.
Abbot of the people
.
a title formerly given to one of the chief magistrates in Genoa.
Abbot of Misrule
(or
Lord of Misrule
)
,
in mediæval times, the master of revels, as at Christmas; in Scotland called the
Abbot of Unreason
.
Encyc. Brit.

Webster 1828 Edition


Abbot

AB'BOT

,
Noun.
[formerly abbat, from abba, latinized abbas, or from Heb. plural.]
The superior or governor of an abbey or monastery. Originally monasteries were founded in retired places, and the religious had no concern with secular affairs, being entirely subject to the prelates. But the abbots possessing most of the learning, in ages of ignorance, were called from their seclusion to aid the churches in opposing heresies; monasteries were founded in the vicinity of cities; the abbots became ambitious and set themselves to acquire wealth and honors; some of them assumed the miter, threw off their dependence on the bishops, and obtained seats in parliament. For many centuries, princes and noblemen bore the title of abbots. At present, in catholic countries, abbots are regular, or such as take the vow, and wear the habit of the order; and commendatory, such as are seculars, but obliged, when of suitable age, to take orders. The title is borne also by some persons, who have not the government of a monastery; as bishops, whose sees were formerly abbeys.

Definition 2024


Abbot

Abbot

See also: abbot

English

Proper noun

Abbot

  1. A surname.

abbot

abbot

See also: Abbot

English

Noun

abbot (plural abbots, feminine abbess)

  1. The superior or head of an abbey or monastery. [First attested around the early 12th century.][1][2]
    The newly appointed abbot decided to take a tour of the abbey with the cardinal's emissary.
  2. A layman who received the abbey's revenues, after the closing of the monasteries.
  3. (archaic, British slang) A brothel-owner's husband or lover.[3][4]
  4. (archaic, British slang) A ponce; a man employed by a prostitute to find clients, and who may also act as a bodyguard or equivalent to a bouncer.[3][4]

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

References

  1. Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 2
  2. Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 3
  3. 1 2 Barrère, Albert; Leland, Charles Godfrey (1889) A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant, volume 1, page 3
  4. 1 2 Farmer, John Stephen (1890) Slang and Its Analogues, volume 1, pages 4
  • Webster 1913

Swedish

Noun

abbot c

  1. an abbot

Declension

Inflection of abbot 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative abbot abboten abbotar abbotarna
Genitive abbots abbotens abbotars abbotarnas

Related terms

See also

References