abbacy

noun

ab·ba·cy ˈa-bə-sē

plural abbacies

: the office, dignity, jurisdiction, or tenure of an abbot

Word History

Etymology

Middle English abbathie, abbasye, borrowed from Anglo-French abbacie, abbathie, borrowed from Medieval Latin abbātia — more at abbey

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of abbacy was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

abba

abbacy

Abbadid

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Abbacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abbacy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

spontaneous

Listen to the pronunciation of spontaneous

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Using Bullet Points ( • )

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Popular in Wordplay

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

Popular

Using Bullet Points ( • )

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs