A woman who is the head or leader of an abbey, which is a religious community of nuns.
From Old French abbesse, from Late Latin abbatissa (feminine of abbot). Originally from Aramaic abba meaning father, showing that even female leaders were called by the father-term.
It's fascinating that 'abbess' comes from 'abba' (father) in Aramaic—female religious leaders inherited the 'father' title, showing how language preserves ancient gender dynamics in surprising ways.
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