GOOD | BAD | SERIOUS | CRITICAL | NEUTRAL |
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Abb'e \Ab"b['e]'\ ([.a]b"b[asl]'), noun [F. abb['e]. See {Abbot}.] The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.
Note: After the 16th century, the name was given, in social parlance, to candidates for some priory or abbey in the gift of the crown. Many of these aspirants became well known in literary and fashionable life. By further extension, the name came to be applied to unbeneficed secular ecclesiastics generally. --Littr['e].
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
noun
GOOD | BAD | SERIOUS | CRITICAL | NEUTRAL |
Definitions retrieved from the Open Source DICT Webster's English and WordNet 3.0 dictionaries. Click here for database copyright information.
Define.com is a PRIVATE SECTOR EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT WEBSITE that PROMOTES WORLDWIDE ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY, OPEN and TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT and WORLDWIDE BANKING REFORM.
www.FreeWorldBank.org on Amazon S3
facebook.com/groups/FreeWorldBank
Eye and Pyramid BANKING REFORM CHALLENGE