abbot
noun
Simple meaning
The superior of an abbey of monks.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
abuhtSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈæbət
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The superior of an abbey of monks
“The abbot welcomed the new monks and explained the daily schedule.”
The superior or head of an abbey or monastery.
The pastor or administrator of an order, including minor and major orders starting with the minor order of porter.
A layman who received the abbey's revenues, after the closing of the monasteries.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C1 · Advanced
- Frequency
- Uncommon
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The superior of an abbey of monks
An 'abbot' is the male head of an abbey, a specific role within monastic traditions. It's a formal title, akin to a 'bishop' but for a monastic order.
“The abbot welcomed the new monks and explained the daily schedule.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where you'll really hear it
Historical dramas
“The wise abbot offered counsel to the king.”
Religious studies
“The election of a new abbot is a significant event.”
Biographies
“He served as abbot for over two decades.”
Nearby words
- archimandrite , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “abbot” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.