advent

Meanings

1. 1nounsingularformal

   The arrival or start of something important, such as a new invention, period or person.

   Grammar: Usually singular and followed by of: the advent of the internet.

   Patterns

   • the advent of something

   The advent of the telephone changed how people kept in touch.

   Farming got easier with the advent of machines.

   Many jobs vanished with the advent of automation.

2. 2noununcountablereligion

   In Christianity, the four weeks before Christmas, when people prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth.

   Grammar: Capitalized and used without an article: during Advent.

   Patterns

   • during Advent
   • an Advent calendar

   Children open a door on the Advent calendar each morning.

   The church lights a new candle on each Sunday of Advent.

   During Advent, the choir practices carols.

Common combinations

the advent of

The advent of social media changed politics.

with the advent of

With the advent of cheap flights, travel boomed.

since the advent of

Since the advent of email, letters are rarer.

Advent calendar

She bought a chocolate Advent calendar.

Advent wreath

The Advent wreath held four candles.

Synonyms and how they differ

arrival

Arrival is the everyday word and can describe people or vehicles, while advent is usually used for big changes.

emergence

Emergence suggests something gradually coming into view, whereas advent suggests a clear starting point.

dawn

Dawn is more poetic and suggests the start of a new age.

onset

Onset usually refers to the start of something unwelcome, such as an illness or winter.

Opposites

Word family

adventitious adjective

happening by chance, not by plan

adventist noun

a member of a Christian group expecting Christ's return

adventure noun

an exciting experience, from the same Latin root

advent noun

the main word

Commonly confused: advent or adventure?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “advent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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