Meaning

noun a church associated with a monastery or convent

noun a convent ruled by an abbess

noun a monastery ruled by an abbot

originFrom A.D. 1250 in Middle English abbey, abbeye (“convent headed by an abbot”) (compare archaic English abbaye), itself borrowed from Old French abaïe, abbaïe, abeïe, abbeïe (Modern French abbaye) from Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin abbātia, from Classical Latin abbās (“abbot”). Doublet of abbacy and Opatija. See abbot.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0