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a title of reverence for bishops and patriarchs in the Coptic, Ethiopian Christian, and Syriac churches.
New Testament. an Aramaic word for father, used by Jesus and Paul to address God in a relation of personal intimacy.
a female day name for Thursday.
See under .
a coarse, felted fabric woven of camel’s or goat’s hair.
a loose, sleeveless outer garment made of this fabric or of silk, worn by Arabs.
(formerly, especially in creole-speaking cultures) a name given at birth to a black child, in accordance with African customs, indicating the child’s sex and the day of the week on which he or she was born, as the male and female names for Sunday (Quashee and Quasheba) Monday (Cudjo or Cudjoe and Juba) Tuesday (Cubbena and Beneba) Wednesday (Quaco and Cuba or Cubba) Thursday (Quao and Abba) Friday (Cuffee or Cuffy and Pheba or Phibbi) and Saturday (Quamin or Quame and Mimba)
Contemporary Examples

Indeed, Jesus himself, when he prayed, addressed God as abba.
The Barabbas Theory of Voting: Bible Story Shows Tough Choices for Midterms Jay Parini November 1, 2014

He was in one aisle, the Israeli statesman abba Eban was in another, and I was moving between the two.
Vintage Summer Reads: Jeffrey Robinson’s Book Bag Jeffrey Robinson August 20, 2012

And of abba’s four members, just two showed up to be presented with their awards from Barry and Robin Gibb.
Music’s Big Night Jacob Bernstein March 15, 2010

abba Eban famously quipped that the Palestinians never miss a chance to miss a chance.
Israel Missed Its Chance—Again Carlo Strenger November 26, 2012

Plus, she managed to find raw emotion in an abba song—no easy feat.
‘Into the Woods’ Cast: Grading the Singing of Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp & More Kevin Fallon July 24, 2013

Historical Examples

The name of abba Island may perhaps carry the reader back to the very beginning of this story.
The River War Winston S. Churchill

Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, abba, Father.
God’s Plan with Men T. T. (Thomas Theodore) Martin

The ascetic of abba island did not join in these seemingly innocent dissipations.
The River War Winston S. Churchill

But it happened that in a few weeks Sherif had occasion to journey to the island of abba.
The River War Winston S. Churchill

“She and abba saved my child, my Pearoo, and I would go through fire for her,” was the reply.
A Noble Queen (Volume I of 3) Philip Meadows Taylor

noun
Swedish pop group (1972–82): comprised Benny Andersson (born 1946), Agnetha Faltskog (born 1950), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (born 1945), and Bjorn Ulvaeus (born 1945); numerous hit singles included “Waterloo” (1974), “Dancing Queen” (1977), and “The Winner Takes It All” (1980)
noun
(New Testament) father (used of God)
a title given to bishops and patriarchs in the Syrian, Coptic, and Ethiopian Churches
noun
(W African) a name indicating a person’s day of birth
noun
a type of cloth from Syria, made of goat hair or camel hair
a sleeveless outer garment of such cloth
abbreviation
(in Britain) Amateur Boxing Association
American Booksellers Association

Swedish pop music group formed 1972, the name dates from 1973 and is an acronym from the first names of the four band members: Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog.

title of honor, from Latin abba, from Greek abba, from Aramaic abba “the father, my father,” emphatic of abh “father.”
abscisic acid
American Badminton Association
American Bankers Association
American Bar Association
American Basketball Association
American Booksellers Association

This Syriac or Chaldee word is found three times in the New Testament (Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6), and in each case is followed by its Greek equivalent, which is translated “father.” It is a term expressing warm affection and filial confidence. It has no perfect equivalent in our language. It has passed into European languages as an ecclesiastical term, “abbot.”