Abigail

From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל‎ (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”).

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈæb.ə.ɡeɪl/

• Audio (GA)

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Abigail (plural Abigails)

1. The wife of Nabal and later of David in the Old Testament.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 25:3:

     Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of beautiful countenance; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings.

2. A female given name from Hebrew, used since the 16th century, and currently quite popular.
   • 1912 Edith Tunis Sale: Old Time Belles and Cavaliers. J.B.Lippincott 1912. page 178:

     The name of Abigail Adams is naturally closely associated with those of her illustrious father and mother, - - - Born in 1765, the mother's quaint Christian name was given to the little girl

• (pet forms): Abbey, Abbi, Abbie, Abby, Abi, Gail, Gayle
• (rare non-standard spellings): Abbigail, Abbygail, Abigale, Abigayle

Abigail f

1. (biblical) Abigail (wife of David)
2. a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abigail

Borrowed from English Abigail.

• Hyphenation: A‧bi‧gail
• IPA^(key): /ˈʔabiɡejl/, [ˈʔa.bɪ.ɣɛɪ̯l]

Abigail (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜊᜒᜄᜒᜌ᜔ᜎ᜔)

1. a female given name from English