different between abbotess vs abbess

English

Etymology

abbot +? -ess

Noun

abbotess (plural abbotesses)

1. Obsolete form of abbess. [attested until the late 17th century]

References

• Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ?ISBN), page 2
• Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief; William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002) , “abbotess”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ?ISBN, page 3

English

Alternative forms

• abbatess, abbotess (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English abbesse, from Old French abeesse (French abbesse), from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbatissa, feminine of Latin abbas, abbatis (“abbot”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?æb.?s/, /?æb.?s/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?æb.?s/, /?æb.?s/

Noun

abbess (plural abbesses)

1. A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. [First attested around 1150 to 1350]

   The abbess was always after the nuns to keep the convent immaculately clean.

2. (archaic, British slang) A woman who runs a brothel; a woman employed by a prostitute to find clients.

Synonyms

• (female superior of a nunnery): mother superior
• (woman who runs a brothel): bawd, Covent Garden abbess, lady abbess, madam

Related terms

• abbey
• abbot

Translations

References