Ab-
(אָב, father), occurs as the first member of several compound Hebrew proper names, e.g. SEE ABNER, SEE ABSALOM, etc. not as a patronymic
SEE BEN, or in its literal acceptation, but in a figurative sense, to designate some quality or circumstance of the person named; e.g. possessor of or endowed with; after the analogy of all the Shemitic languages (Gesenius, Thes. Heb. p. 7; in Arabic generally Abu-, see D'Herbelot, Biblioth. Orient. s.v.). SEE FATHER; SEE PROPER NAME. Hence it is equally applicable to females; e.g. SEE ABIGAIL (as among the Arabs; comp. Kosegarten, in Ewalds 'Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes, 1:297-317). In all cases it is the following part of the name that is to be considered as the genitive, the prefix אב being "in the construct," and not the reverse. SEE ABI-.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More