Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A woman who holds the chief authority in an abbey, nunnery, or similar institution: more properly called
lady superior .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Eccl.) A woman who acts as chief in a convent, abbey, or nunnery; a lady superior.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
mother superior .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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I am very glad to hear that the mother-superioress is better.
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Madame de la — that lady has arrived excellently recommended by the superioress of the place where dear Milly awaits you, and such persons are particular.
Uncle Silas 2003
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There she was brought up under the careful training of Mother Annette, the superioress, and received enough musical instruction to enable her to act as organist at the Father Point church, and to direct the choir at Grand Mass.
Marie Gourdon A Romance of the Lower St. Lawrence Maud Ogilvy
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The library is common property, but no one may use or read any book save by permission of the superioress.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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The Mother of the Sacred Heart, superioress of the Hotel-Dieu at Quebec, in response to a letter of the Congregation Sisters, wrote: "We have not failed to pray for your dear and cherished mother, lately deceased, although I am persuaded she does not need our prayers."
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The superioress alone has power to dispense with the rule of silence in case of necessity, as she transacts most of the business, social or legal, of her community.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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Shepherd nuns, and live under obedience to the superioress of the latter.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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"Disobedience," "Curiosity," "Talkativeness" -- and this they wear at their ordinary avocations for as many hours as the superioress commands.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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The community meets every three years (in some orders every year) and chooses by vote a superioress, an assistant superioress and a mistress of novices.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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At the communion the superioress stepped forward, wearing the white woolen mantle (which with a purple tunic is the complete dress of this order) and knelt to receive the holy sacrament.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876 Various
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