Advent

noun Ad·vent \ ˈad-ˌvent , chiefly British -vənt \

Definition of Advent

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 1a(2))

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

Origin and Etymology of advent

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 ¹come

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

ADVENT Defined for Kids

advent

noun ad·vent \ ˈad-ˌvent \

Definition of advent for Students

: the arrival or coming of something

the advent of spring

Learn More about advent

See words that rhyme with Advent Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for Advent Spanish Central: Translation of Advent Nglish: Translation of Advent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of Advent for Arabic speakers

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WORD OF THE DAY

quail

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to recoil in dread or terror

BROWSE DICTIONARY

advene

advenient

Advent

Advent Bay

Advent Christian

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