A French title or term for a man who is an abbot, a member of the clergy, or sometimes an educated man without formal religious office; in English, it refers specifically to a French clergyman.
From French 'abbé,' a shortened form of 'abbaye,' which comes from Latin 'abbas' and ultimately Aramaic 'abba' (father). In French usage, it became a general title of respect for clergy and educated men.
In 18th-century France, being an 'abbé' was fashionable among educated men, even non-religious ones—nobles' younger sons, philosophers, and ambitious social climbers wore the collar and claimed the title as a ticket to intellectual circles, making 'abbé' as much a social status as a religious one.
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