Where does “abbesse” come from?
abbesse (Middle English) comes from Old French abeesse, from Latin abbātissa, from Latin abbās, from Ancient Greek ἀββᾶς, from Ancient Greek ἀββα, from Aramaic אבא, from Proto-Semitic ʔabw-, from Proto-Afroasiatic ʔab- — father.
abbesse (Middle English): abbess female abbot
Definitions
- abbess female abbot
Ancestry of “abbesse”, step by step
abbesse traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French abeesse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | abeesse | abbess |
| 2 | Latin | abbātissa | abbess, female head of an abbey |
| 3 | Latin | abbās | an abbot |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀββᾶς | Alternative form of ἀββα; father |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀββα | father; title of respect given to abbots |
| 6 | Aramaic | אבא | father, ancestor, progenitor; teacher; chief,... |
| 7 | Proto-Semitic | ʔabw- | father |
| 8 | Proto-Afroasiatic | ʔab- | father |
via Middle English abece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | abece | An alphabet; the Latin alphabet |