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The French word answering to the English abbot, the head of an abbey; but commonly a title of respect given in France to every one vested with the ecclesiastical habit or dress.

A female superior or governess of a nunnery, or convent of nuns, having the same authority over the nuns which the abbots have over the monks. See Abbey.

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.

The superior or head of an abbey.

The state or office of an abbot.

e; to reduce by contraction or omission, especially of words written or spoken. It is one thing to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off. Bacon.

The act of shortening, or reducing.

One of a college of seventy-two officers of the papal court whose duty is to make a short minute of a decision on a petition, or reply of the pope to a letter, and afterwards expand the minute into official form.

An abridgment; a compendium or abstract. This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Jer. Taylor.

The first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole alphabet.

An inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace. The Abderite, Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher.

Purification by washing the hands before prayer; -- a Mohammedan rite. Heyse.

Abdicating; renouncing; -- followed by of. Monks abdicant of their orders. Whitlock.

To surrender or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station, dignity; as, to abdicate the throne, the crown, the papacy.

The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder; commonly the voluntary renunciation of sovereign power; as, abdication of the throne, government, power, authority.

Having the quality of hiding. [R.] Bailey.

The belly, or that part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis. Also, the cavity of the belly, which is lined by the peritoneum, and contains the stomach, bowels, and other viscera. In man, often restricted to the part between the diaphragm and the commencement of the pelvis, the remainder being called the pelvi…

Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral; as, the abdominal regions, muscles, cavity.

A group including the greater part of fresh-water fishes, and many marine ones, having the ventral fins under the abdomen behind the pectorals.

Examination of the abdomen to detect abdominal disease.