albeit
/ɔːlˈbiːɪt/
conjunction
Origin
Middle English
al be it — all be it that
Overview
Meaning Now
- Used to concede that something is the case; although; even if.
Literal older meaning
all be it (all be it so)
Language path
Middle English → English
Earliest form
al be it
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word originated as a contraction of the phrase 'all be it that', expressing a concessive state. In the Middle English period, it functioned as an impersonal subjunctive construction.
Evolution
- 14th century
al be it
“all be it”
Used as a full phrase consisting of 'al' (all), 'be' (subjunctive of to be), and 'it' (the fact).
- 15th-16th century
albe-it
“although”
Gradual contraction into a single conjunction.
- Modern English
albeit
“although; even if”
Established as a formal conjunction.
Connections
Word parts
al
root
all
be
root
be
it
root
it
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Related to albeit
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