abbot

noun

ab·​bot ˈa-bət 

: the superior of a monastery for men

Examples of abbot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The abbot told him to begin every morning by performing exactly 108 bows, a meditation exercise in Korean Buddhism. —Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024

In the 12th century, the abbots of Crowland constructed a hall and chapel complex at the site, which were also uncovered during the recent digs. —Aaron Boorstein, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024

The finances of the monasteries are opaque, and little supervision was introduced even after an abbot with ties to Russian oligarchs was jailed in Greece for embezzlement and fraud in 2011 over a lucrative land deal. —Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024

By the 12th century, the abbots of Crowland build a large hall and chapel complex on the site, which still stand today. —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abbot, abbod, going back to Old English, borrowed from Late Latin abbāt-, abbās, borrowed from Late Greek abbâs (also, a title of respect given to monks), borrowed from Aramaic abbā "father"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

abbot

noun

ab·​bot ˈab-ət 

: the head of a monastery for men