Advent

noun

Ad·​vent ˈad-ˌvent 

 chiefly British  -vənt

1

: the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting

2

a

: the coming of Christ at the Incarnation (see incarnation sense 3b(1))

b

: second coming

3

not capitalized : a coming into being or use

the advent of spring

the advent of pasteurization

the advent of personal computers

Synonyms

• appearance
• arrival
• coming
• incoming

Examples of Advent in a Sentence

with the advent of the mass-produced automobile, the need for a better system of roads and highways soon became apparent

Recent Examples on the Web

Bloomberg | Getty Images Shares of British food supplier Tate & Lyle jumped more than 13% on Wednesday afternoon amid media reports the U.S. private equity firm Advent International is preparing a takeover offer. —Karen Gilchrist,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024

This year, the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2024 features 28 products, 18 of which are full-sized. —Denise Primbet, Glamour, 4 Oct. 2024

Shop By Category Makeup Gift Sets Advent Calendars Makeup Gifts Skin Care Gifts Fragrance Gifts Even More Stunning Beauty Gifts to Give, According to Tastemakers SHOP THE EDIT Makeup Gift Sets Vogue Shopping The insider’s guide to what to shop and how to wear it. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2024

Holiday Teddy Bear Chocolate Advent Calendar $12 Amazon Sharing? —Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin adventus, going back to Latin, "arrival, appearance," from adven-, variant stem of advenīre "to arrive" (from ad- ad- + venīre "to come," going back to Indo-European *g^wem-i̯e-) + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at come entry 1

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Advent

• Advent Sunday
• Advent wreath

Kids Definition

advent

noun

ad·​vent

ˈad-ˌvent

1

capitalized : the season beginning four Sundays before Christmas

2

: the first appearance : arrival

the advent of spring

Etymology

Middle English advent "Christmas season," from Latin adventus (same meaning), from earlier adventus "arrival"