abbey

noun

ˈa-bē How to pronounce abbey (audio)
Definition of abbeynext
as in monastery
a residence for men under religious vows the monks in the abbey grow all their own vegetables

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abbey The Abbazia di San Fruttuoso, a 10th-century abbey complex owned for centuries by the Dorias, a powerful Genoa family, dominates the cove setting. — Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Robert de Molesme founded the Cistercian order at an abbey some 20 miles away from Meursault, the small village where the new hotel is located, in 1098. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026 At the time, a rep for the couple told PEOPLE that the ceremony took place at a medieval abbey at La Cervara with 100 family and friends. — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026 The complex, which includes an 11th-century Benedictine abbey and a 16th-century basilica, is revered for its Black Madonna statue and is home to a boy’s choir that has existed since the 13th century and is Europe’s oldest. — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for abbey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abbey
  1. monastery
  2. cloister
Noun
  • Historically, such spaces were often features of religious buildings around the world including monasteries and convents, keeping animals out and fresh water, herbs, vegetables, and flowers safely inside.
    — Michael James Gardner, Architectural Digest, 26 Oct. 2026
  • For more than a century, a suite of murals by Symbolist painter Odilon Redon have decorated the library of the Abbaye de Fontfroide, an 11th-century former monastery in the South of France.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of monastery
Noun
  • The Suite Del Priore – named for its setting in the old priory – has original frescoes and cloister views; the Suite Dell’Eremita has its own lemon grove.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The town served as a Genoese naval outpost during the medieval rivalry with Pisa, and the hotel’s arched colonnades of the original cloister still stand atop rooms that face Palmaria Island or the Gulf itself.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Definition of cloister

Browse Nearby Words

abbesses
abbey
abbeys
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abbey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abbey. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on abbey

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abbey

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All