abbé

noun

ab·bé a-ˈbā

ˈa-ˌbā

Synonyms of abbé next

: a member of the French secular clergy in major or minor orders

—used as a title

Examples of abbé in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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After his death just five years later, the paintings were inventoried simply as depictions of the basilica and square without any mention of the poor abbe. —

Steven Litt, cleveland.com, 25 Feb. 2018

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "abbot" (extended as a title to nonresident abbots and hence to any clergyman in a secular environment), going back to Old French abé, going back to Late Latin abbāt-, abbās abbot

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of abbé was in 1530

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