Word
abbe
Phoneticsabbe
/ˈæbi/
Definition
n. a title used for a French priest or a member of the Catholic clergy.
n. a title or honorific for a French Catholic cleric; it is often used for secular priests who do not belong to a specific religious order.
Examples
“The young Abbe lived in a small house near the village church.”
“The Abbe was a frequent guest at the salon, where his wit and theological insights were highly valued by the local aristocracy.”
Examples
simple
“The young Abbe lived in a small house near the village church.”
complex
“The Abbe was a frequent guest at the salon, where his wit and theological insights were highly valued by the local aristocracy.”
Usage
Often used as a title before a surname or as a direct form of address.
Teaching tip
This is primarily found in historical literature or contexts involving the French Catholic Church; in modern English, 'priest' or 'father' is more common unless referring specifically to a French context.
Etymology
Variant of Abbey.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.