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abbess

noun
/ˈæb.ɪs/UK/ˈæb.ɪs/US

Etymology

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

  1. derived from abbas
  2. derived from abbatissa
  3. derived from abeesse
  4. inherited from abbesse

Definitions

  1. A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same…

    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.

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

  2. A woman who runs a brothel

    A woman who runs a brothel; a woman employed by a prostitute to find clients.

    • So an old Abbess for the rattling Rakes, / A tempting dish of human nature makes, / And dresses up a luscious Maid: / I rather should have said, indeed, undresses, / To please a youth's unsanctified caresses.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for abbess. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA