abbey

n. monastery administered by an abbot; church belonging to a monastery

== For other uses, see Abbey (disambiguation) An abbey (from Latin abbatia, derived from Syriac abba, "father"), is a Christian monastery or convent, under the government of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community. A nunnery is a convent of nuns. Some cities were ruled by heads of a certain abbey. For more information, see abbey-principality.
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Noun
1. a church associated with a monastery or convent
(hypernym) church, church building
2. a convent ruled by an abbess
(hypernym) convent
3. a monastery ruled by an abbot
(hypernym) monastery

(n.)
The church of a monastery.
  

(n.)
A monastery or society of persons of either sex, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy; also, the monastic building or buildings.
  

Society of monks or nuns governed by an abbot or for women, an abbess, and by extension the buildings themselves. Abbeys gathered unto themselves large tracts of land as wealthy men became monks, but the constant struggle between the secular authority and the church resulted in many confiscations.