0 a building where monks or nuns live or used to live. Some abbeys are now used as churches:
Westminster Abbey
1 a building for monks (= religious men) or nuns (= religious women) to live in
The abbey was completely rebuilt in 1503 after it had been destroyed by fire.
Apparently, the abbey had suffered from the loss of seasonal pastures, a recurring but disastrous phenomenon.
The cry went up among the abbey party that the mayor intended to remove the sanctuary men.
The abbey was to achieve a much clearer victory in 1120.
