Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abbey” come from?

abbey (English) comes from Middle English abbey, from Old French abaïe, from Ecclesiastical Latin abbatia, from Latin abbās, from Ancient Greek ἀββᾶς, from Ancient Greek ἀββα, from Aramaic אבא, from Proto-Semitic ʔabw-.

abbey (English): The office or dominion of an abbot or abbess; A...

Definitions

  1. The office or dominion of an abbot or abbess; A...

Ancestry of “abbey”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishabbeyAn abbey; The church located inside a monastery;...
2Old FrenchabaïeAlternative form of abaie
3Ecclesiastical Latinabbatiaabbey
4Latinabbās—
5Ancient GreekἀββᾶςAlternative form of ἀββα; father
6Ancient Greekἀββαfather; title of respect given to abbots
7Aramaicאבאfather, ancestor, progenitor; teacher; chief,...
8Proto-Semiticʔabw-father
9Proto-Afroasiaticʔab-—

Words derived from “abbey”

  • abbaye
  • archabbey
  • abbeystead
  • abbeylike
  • aa'bay
Every word from Proto-Afroasiatic ʔab- →