Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Bible In the New Testament, God.
- n. Used as a title of honor for bishops and patriarchs in some Christian churches of Egypt, Syria, and Ethiopia.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Father. It is used in the New Testament three times (Mark xiv. 36, Rom. viii. 15, Gal. iv. 6), in each instance accompanied by its translation, “Abba, Father,” as an invocation of the Deity, expressing close filial relation. Either through its liturgical use in the Judeo-Christian church or through its employment by the Syriac monks, it has passed into general ecclesiastical language in the modified form of
abbat or abbot (which see). - n. See aba.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Father; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.
Etymologies
- From Middle English, from Latin, from Ancient Greek, from Aramaic אבא/ܐܒܐ (ʼabbāʼ, "father"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, from Late Latin abbā, from Greek; see abbot. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Dancing Queens reunited: The girls from ABBA share the stage | Mail Online: They've barely been on stage together since Abba split in 1982.”
“Barabbas just meant "son of Abba", where abba means father.”
“If there is any truth to the folk etymology of "Jesus Barabbas" then the term Abba was well entrenched at the time.”
“Perhaps the term Abba had special significance in 1C Judaism that the diaspora communities Paul dealt with recognized or resonated with.”
“Jesus chose the word Abba, the Aramaic word for “Daddy,” to describe God.”
“In another, a young boy attempts to get his father's attention with "Daddy", but finds more success when he uses the word "Abba", Hebrew for father.”
“A third features a young boy whose Israeli father doesn't respond to being called "Daddy" but instantly reacts when his son calls him by the Hebrew word "Abba.”
“Very appropriate, but 10 seconds of Abba is all I can take.”
“How can you laugh so hard at people miming in Abba costumes, incorporate the best friend becoming paralysed and still call it a comedy that has trueserious moments?”
“JC spoke Aramaic and in that ancient tongue he called Abba which translates as Mommy as much as Daddy and that is good news and yin and yang.”
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