advent

American  

[ad-vent] / ˈæd vɛnt /

noun

1. a coming into place, view, or being; arrival.

   the advent of the holiday season.

   Synonyms:

   start, commencement, beginning, onset

2. Usually Advent the coming of Christ into the world.

3. Advent, the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world.

4. Usually Advent Second Coming.

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advent ¹ British  

/ ˈædvɛnt, -vənt /

noun

1. an arrival or coming, esp one which is awaited

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Advent ² British  

/ -vənt, ˈædvɛnt /

noun

1. Christianity the season including the four Sundays preceding Christmas or (in Eastern Orthodox churches) the forty days preceding Christmas

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Advent Cultural  

1. The coming of Jesus, either in the Incarnation of biblical times or in the Second Coming at the end of the world. Also, a time observed in many Christian churches in December to prepare for Christmas.

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Usage

What is Advent season? Advent is the season before Christmas. In many branches of Christianity, Advent consists of the period starting four Sundays before Christmas. Among Christians, Advent is typically considered a season of preparation for the celebration of Christmas that also commemorates the coming of Jesus. The word Advent can also refer to the coming of Jesus into the world (it can also refer to what’s known as Jesus’s Second Coming). Religious rituals for Advent include the lighting of candles on an Advent wreath and the decoration of Jesse trees. Although Christmas is widely celebrated in both religious and secular (nonreligious) ways, Advent is primarily a religious observance. However, Advent calendars are a popular way of marking the days until Christmas even for those who do not celebrate it in religious ways. The similar season observed in anticipation of Easter is known as Lent.

Etymology

Origin of advent

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Latin adventus “arrival, approach,” equivalent to ad- “toward” + ven- (stem of venīre “to come”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; ad-

Explanation

The advent of something means that it's finally here. You might be waiting for the advent of a new iPhone or for the advent of cloning. Don't hold your breath. Generally, the noun advent is used for the introduction of something important. The twentieth century saw the advent of many important inventions — including television, computers, and microwave dinners. If the word is capitalized, it has a religious meaning, referring to the period, observed in certain Christian religions, that begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (December 25).

Example Sentences

Children’s access to the internet is happening at younger ages, with an entire generation growing up alongside the rapid advancement of the digital landscape, which has only intensified with the advent of artificial intelligence.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Despite the advent of the multi-ethnic "Rainbow Nation" and the end of the racist apartheid system in 1994, South Africa remains fractured on racial lines.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Since the advent of professional golf design around the turn of the 19th century, these bunkers are now manufactured.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

The advent of artificial intelligence threatens many software concerns’ business models.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

And it was Mrs. Baker who announced his advent.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

Related Words

• arrival
• coming
• onset