abbesse

See also: abbêsse

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French abaesse, abeesse, from Ecclesiastical Latin abbātissa, feminine of Latin abbās, abbātis (“abbot”). Morphologically, from abbé (“abbot”) +‎ -esse (“-ess”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.bɛs/
• Rhymes: -ɛs

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

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Noun

abbesse f (plural abbesses, masculine abbé)

1. abbess (female abbot)

Further reading

• “abbesse”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Middle English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Old French abeesse, from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbatissa, feminine of Latin abbas, abbatis (“abbot”).

Noun

abbesse

1. abbess (female abbot)

Etymology 2

Noun

abbesse

1. alternative form of abece