ab·bess [ab-is]
noun
- a woman who is the superior of a convent of nuns.
Origin[]
1275–1325; Middle English abbesse < Old French abbesse, abaesse < Late Latin abbātissa, feminine of abbās abbot; replacing Middle English abbatisse < Late Latin; in turn replacing Old English abadisse, abbodesse (compare Old High German abbatissa ) < Late Latin *ab ( b ) adissa for abbātissa