abbey

Meaning

Noun

• The office or dominion of an abbot or abbess.
• A monastery or society of people, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy, which is headed by an abbot or abbess; also, the monastic building or buildings.
• The church of a monastery.
• A residence that was previously an abbatial building.

Origin

• From A.D. 1250 in Middle English abbey, abbeye (compare archaic English abbaye), itself borrowed from Old French abaie, abbaïe, abeïe, abbeie (Modern French abbaye) from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbātia, from Classical Latin abbās. abbacy, and Opatija. See abbot.
• Image:Fountains Abbey view crop1 2005-08-27.jpg|400px|thumb|Ruins of Fountains Abbey