Abbess

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Abbess \Ab"bess\ ([a^]b"b[e^]s), n. [OF. abaesse, abeesse, F.
     abbesse, L. abbatissa, fem. of abbas, abbatis, abbot. See
     {Abbot}.]
     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. See {Abbey}.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  abbess
       n : the superior of a group of nuns [syn: {mother superior}, {prioress}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  27 Moby Thesaurus words for "abbess":
     canoness, chatelaine, clergywoman, conventual, dame, dowager,
     first lady, goodwife, governess, great lady, homemaker, housewife,
     lady superior, madam, matriarch, matron, mistress, mother superior,
     novice, nun, postulant, prioress, religieuse, secular canoness,
     sister, superioress, the reverend mother