abbacy

A1B3B3A1C3Y4
US/ˈæb.ə.si/

noun

The dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess.

Similar
abbotryabbotcyabbotric
OriginMiddle English abbathie ← Late Latin abbātia →
First used First attested around 1350 to 1470.Scrabble 15
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Meanings

nounabbacy (plural abbacies)

plural abbacies · alternative obsolete abbatie

  1. The dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.

    Synonyms: abbotry, abbotcy, abbotric

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe dignity, estate, term, or jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess.

Similar
abbotryabbotcyabbotric
Also see
abthanery

Origin

  1. Late Latinabbātia
  2. Middle Englishabbathie
  3. Englishabbacy

From Middle English abbathie, from Late Latin abbātia, from abbās, abbātis (“abbot”). Doublet of abbey and Opatija.

More words from Middle English, Late Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian аба́тство
  • аба́тство (abátstvo)dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Catalan abadia
  • abadiadignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Esperanto abateco, abata jurisdikcio
  • abatecodignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • abata jurisdikciodignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Finnish apotin virka, apotin arvo
  • apotin virkadignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • apotin arvodignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
French abbatiat
  • abbatiatdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Hungarian apátság
  • apátságdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Irish abacht, abdhaine
  • abachtdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • abdhainedignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Italian abbazia
  • abbaziadignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Norwegian Bokmål abbedverdighet
  • abbedverdighetdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Polish opactwo
  • opactwodignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Portuguese abadia
  • abadiadignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Russian абба́тство
  • абба́тство (abbátstvo)dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Scottish Gaelic abaideachd, luamhnachd
  • abaideachddignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • luamhnachddignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Ukrainian аба́тство
  • аба́тство (abátstvo)dignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Vietnamese chức vị trưởng tu viện, quyền hạn trưởng tu viện
  • chức vị trưởng tu việndignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • quyền hạn trưởng tu việndignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • chức vị viện chủ tu việndignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • quyền hạn viện chủ tu việndignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Welsh abadaeth, abadiaeth
  • abadaethdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
  • abadiaethdignity, estate, or jurisdiction of an abbot
Cite this entry
APA

abbacy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abbacy

MLA

“abbacy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abbacy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abbacy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abbacy.

Source: abbacy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.