abbey
/ˈabi
/noun (plural abbeys)
1The building or buildings occupied by a community of monks or nuns.Friaries were occupied by friars, abbeys were headed by abbots, priories by priors....
- There was a boom in the building of castles, abbeys, and priories.
- Aelred, a friend and follower of St. Bernard, defined holy friendship for the monks of his abbey.
Synonyms
monastery, convent, priory, cloister, friary, nunnery, religious house, religious community
historical charterhouse, cell
rare coenobium, coenoby
1.1A church that was formerly an abbey.Her designs can be seen in the cathedrals of St Albans, Exeter, Salisbury and Wells, Bath and Sherborne abbeys, and many churches around the country as well as two venues in America....
- Our cathedrals and abbeys are better looked after than ever.
- Internally the decoration is of a type and standard more usually encountered in abbeys and cathedrals.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French abbeie, from medieval Latin abbatia 'abbacy', from abbas, abbat- (see abbot).