Forms: 1 abbad, abbud; 1–3 abbod; 2–3 abbeod; 3–4 abbed; 2– abbot. By-form 2–7 abbat. [a. abbād-em, late L. and early Rom. pronunc. of L. abbāt-em, in nom. abbas (4th c.), a. Gr. ἀββάς, ad. Syriac abbā, father (see ABBA), an appellation given originally in the East to all monks (cf. Ital. and Sp. padre, Fr. père), but restricted at length in the West to the superior of a monastery. Adopted in Eng. at or soon after the English Conversion; the original abbad became by assimilation to the native ending -ud, -od, abbud, abbod, whence the 13th c. abbed; the mod. representative would have been abd (cf. Ger. abt), but in 12th c. the L. abbāt-em gave a new literary form abbat, under the influence of which OE. abbod became abbot, found as early as 1123. Abbat continued as a by-form till 1700, and was especially affected by the ecclesiastical writers of 5–7. The difference is merely graphical, the atonic -ot and -at being alike -ət.]
1. The head or superior of an abbey. After the dissolution of the monasteries, sometimes applied to the layman to whom the revenues of an abbacy were impropriated.
† a. Early form Abbod, -ed.
c. 880. K. Ælfred, Bæda, v. 13. On þam mynstre wæs … Abbad and messepreost Æðelwold haten.
905. O. E. Chron. (Parker MS.). Eadwold cynʓes ðeʓen, and Cenulf abbod.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 93. Bi heore abbodes iwissunge.
1205. Layamon, II. 125. Þe abbed an horse leop … þus seide þe abbed [1250 Þe abbod vppe his horse leop … þus spac þe abbod]
a. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 314. Þuruh þen abbodes gropunge.
1297. R. Glouc., 447. Ȝyf byssop, oþer abbed, in þys lond ded were.
† b. By-form Abbat.
c. 1130. O. E. Chron. (Laud. MS.), anno 1123. And bed his biscopes and his abbates and his þeiʓnes.
1297. R. Glouc., 376. Byssopes and abbates to hys wylle echon.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2694. Fatter than abbatis or priours.
1571. Bp. Jewel, On 1 Thessal. (1611), 116. Ioachimus an Abbat hath told vs Antichrist shall be called, holy Lord, and most holy Pope.
1598. Hakluyt, Eng. Voyages, I. 71. Confirming likewise al things … by their Abbate.
1614–25. Jn. Boys (Wks. 1630), 130. The begging Frier would be Prior: the Prior, an Abbat.
1691. Blount, Law Dict., Abbat or Abbot, A Spiritual Lord, that has the rule and preheminence over a Religious House.
c. Current form Abbot.
c. 1123. O. E. Chron. (Laud. MS.), anno 963. [He] halʓode him þa abbot. Ibid., anno 1123. Ansealm abbot of S. Ædmund.
c. 1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 326. Þe abbot of Abyndoun And alle [his] issu for euere.
c. 1489. Plumpton Corr., 84. My servant John Tomlynson hath taken a farmehold of the abut of Fountayns … which the abott wyll record the taking.
1611. Cotgr., Il iure comme vn Abbé He sweares like an Abbot, viz. extreamly.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., IV. ii. 20. O Father Abbot! An old man, broken with the storms of State, Is come to lay his weary bones among ye.
1641. Les Termes de la Ley, 2. Abbot, was the soveraigne head, or chiefe of those houses, which when they stood were called Abbies, and this Abbot together with the Monks of the same House, who were called the Convent, made a Corporation.
1751. Chambers, Cycl. Mitred Abbots were those privileged to wear the mitre; and allowed, withal, a full episcopal authority within their precincts … and were lords of parliament. Of these Sir Edward Coke reckons 27 in England.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 13. The lay abbot of Marney, also in this instance like the other whig lords, was careful to maintain … a very loyal and dutiful though secret correspondence with the court of St. Germains.
1861. Motley, Dutch Rep., I. 270, Provb. When the Abbot has dice in his pocket, the convent will play.
† 2. ‘Also a title borne by several magistrates, and other lay persons. Among the Genoese, one of their principal magistrates was called the Abbat of the people.’ Chambers, Cycl., 1741. Obs.
† 3. Applied ironically to the leader of certain disorderly festivities, as the Abbot of Misrule, Abbot of Unreason. Obs.
4. Comb. abbot-presbyter.
1772. Pennant, Tours in Scotland, 255 (1774). The island always had for a governor an Abbot-Presbyter.
