What does "abby" mean?

1. (female name) a short name for Abigail. 2. (cat breed) a short name for an Abyssinian cat. 3. (religious building) an old way of spelling the word 'abbey'.

abby

US //ˈæbi// ab·by

1 female name (n.)
A1 Beginner

a short name for Abigail.

a diminutive of the female given name Abigail, often used as a formal given name in its own right.

Example

My friend Abby is coming over for dinner tonight.

Example

Abby was originally a nickname for Abigail, but it has gained significant popularity as a standalone name on birth certificates over the last few decades.
- abigail
2 cat breed (n.)
C1 Advanced Informal

a short name for an Abyssinian cat.

a colloquial shorthand for the Abyssinian breed of domestic short-haired cat.

Example

The breeder showed us a beautiful ruddy Abby with large ears.

Example

While many cat enthusiasts prefer the full name, breeders often refer to the Abyssinian simply as an Abby when discussing pedigree traits.
- abyssinian

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3 religious building (n.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Religion

an old way of spelling the word 'abbey'.

an obsolete orthographic variant of 'abbey', referring to a monastery or convent.

Example

In the old book, the monk lived in a stone abby.

Example

The researcher noted that the 16th-century manuscript consistently used the spelling 'abby' to describe the local monastic community.

Origin

A clipping of the word.