thumb|upright|French abbé of the 18th century
Abbé (; from Latin , in turn from Greek , , from Aramaic abba, a title of honour, literally meaning "the father, my father", emphatic state of abh, "father") is the French word for an abbot. It is also the title used for lower-ranking Catholic clergy in France who are not members of religious orders.
History
A concordat between Pope Leo X and King François I of France (1516) gave the monarchs of France the right to nominate 255 commendatory abbots () for almost all French abbeys, who received income from a monastery without needing to render service, creating, in essence, a sinecure.
From the mid-16th century, the title of abbé has been used in France for all young clergy, with or without consecration. Their clothes consisted of black or dark violet robes with a small collar, and they were tonsured.