abbé

The story

1. Latin · derived fromabbās“abbot”
2. French · borrowed fromabbé“abbot”
3. English todayabbé

Unadapted borrowing from French abbé (“abbot”), from Latin abbās (“abbot”). Doublet of abbot.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• mid 16th century A low-ranking member of the Roman Catholic clergy in France who is not a member of a religious order, is not a priest, and can marry and inherit property; an honorific title for such a clergymember.
• mid 16th century A French abbot, the (male) head of an abbey.