ἀββα

See also: αββά and Appendix:Variations of "abba"

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

ἀββά (abbá), ἀββᾶ (abbâ), ἀββᾶς (abbâs)

Etymology

Borrowed from Aramaic אַבָּא (ʾabbā, “father”).

The semantic shift from 'father' to 'abbot' is due to abbots being considered as fathers to the rest of the priests in the abbey, for being the wisest and more experienced.

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /ab.baː/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ab.ba/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aβ.βa/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /av.va/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /a.va/

Noun

ἀββᾱ • (abbā) m (indeclinable)

father
title of respect given to abbots

Descendants

Greek: αββάς (avvás), αβάς (avás)

Borrowings

→ Coptic: ⲁⲡⲁ (apa), ⲁⲃⲃⲁ (abba) (see there for further descendants)
→ Gothic: 𐌰𐌱𐌱𐌰 (abba)
→ Latin: abbās (see there for further descendants)
→ Latin: abba (see there for further descendants)
→ Old Armenian: աբբայ (abbay)
- Armenian: աբբա (abba)

References

ἀββα in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
Nestle, Eberhard, Aland, Kurt with et al. (2012) Novum Testamentum Graece‎, 28th revised edition, 4th corrected printing edition, Stuttgart: Stuttgart Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, →ISBN
Bauer, Walter et al. (2001) A Greek–English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press
G5 in Strong, James (1979) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to the Bible

ἀββα

Contents