Definition of anent
: about, concerning
- Trending Now: More Trending:
- asylum insubordinate promulgate epochal clemency
- ALL
What's Trending Now
More Trending Words
anent was our Word of the Day on 03/16/2018. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Did You Know?
Anent looks like a rather old-fashioned word. It is, in fact, very old (an earlier sense of the word can be found in Beowulf, from approximately 800 A.D.), and at one point it was almost obsolete. It had nearly died out by the 17th century, but it was revived in the 19th century. Various usage commentators have decried "anent" as "affected" and "archaic." It is not archaic, however. Although "anent" is rarely found in speech, plenty of examples of current use can be found in written sources. Dead words do occasionally rise from the grave, and "anent" is one of them.
Origin and Etymology of anent
Middle English onevent, anent, from Old English on efen alongside, from on + efen even
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 13th century
in the meaning defined above
See Words from the same yearLearn More about anent
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up anent? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
