abby

n. a short name for Abigail.

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

“My friend Abby is coming over for dinner tonight.”

“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.”

n. a short name for an Abyssinian cat.

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

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

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

Informal

n. an old way of spelling the word 'abbey'.

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

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

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

Archaic