abbey

Plural: abbeys

Noun

A building or buildings occupied by a community of monks or nuns.
a church associated with a monastery or convent
a convent ruled by an abbess
a monastery ruled by an abbot
The office or dominion of an abbot or abbess.
A monastery or society of people, secluded from the world and devoted to religion and celibacy, which is headed by an abbot or abbess; also, the monastic building or buildings.
The church of a monastery.
A residence that was previously an abbatial building.

Examples

From 1199 to 1203 William Punchard was the abbot of the abbey of Rievaulx, which was part of the Cistercian order of monks.
The interlocking words on the board formed a quiet abbey of vowels.

Origin / Etymology

From 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.

Scrabble Score: 12

abbey: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
abbey: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
abbey: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

abbey: valid Words With Friends Word