# abbey

/ˈæbi/ (US) · /ˈæbi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abbey
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. monastic building

noun · CEFR B2

a building or group of buildings where monks or nuns live, pray, and work together.

For teachers: a monastery or convent under the jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess, encompassing the residential and communal structures.

- The monks spent most of their day praying and gardening within the abbey walls.
- The medieval abbey served as a center of learning and agriculture for the surrounding villages for several centuries.

### 2. a large church

noun · CEFR B2

a large, important church that is or was part of a monastery.

For teachers: the church of a monastery, often retained as a place of worship after the monastic community has departed.

- Thousands of tourists visit the ancient abbey every year to see the beautiful windows.
- Westminster Abbey is the traditional site of coronations and burials for British monarchs.

### 3. a historic house

noun · CEFR C1 · British English

a large country house in Britain that used to be a monastery a long time ago.

For teachers: a domestic residence, typically a large country estate, that occupies the site or buildings of a former monastery.

- The family moved into a grand old abbey that had been converted into a home.
- Many of the finest country houses in England retain the title of 'Abbey' despite having been private secular residences since the sixteenth century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.