C16: from Medieval Latin hēgūmenus, from Late Greek hēgoumenos leader, from Greek hēgeisthai to lead
hegumen in American English
(hɪˈɡjuːmən)
noun
Eastern Churches
the head of a monastery
Also: hegumenos (hɪˈɡjuːməˌnɑs)
Word origin
[1655–65; ‹ ML hēgūmenus ‹ Gk hēgoúmenos chief, lit., leading, prp. of hēgeîsthai to lead]This word is first recorded in the period 1655–65. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: barbecue, loaded, minimum, neutralize, outline