Word
albeit
Phoneticsal·beit
US/ɔɫˈbiɪt/
UK/ɔːlbˈiːɪt/
Definition
conj. even though, or although. You use this word to add a contrasting detail or a slight limit to something you just said.
conj. introducing a concessive phrase meaning 'although' or 'even though'. It typically adds a qualification or restriction to the preceding statement.
Examples
“The new car is very fast, albeit quite expensive.”
“The company reported a profit for the third quarter, albeit a much smaller one than investors had originally expected.”
“The researchers concluded that the experimental treatment was highly effective at reducing symptoms, albeit with a risk of mild side effects that require ongoing patient monitoring.”
Examples
simple
“The new car is very fast, albeit quite expensive.”
contextual
“The company reported a profit for the third quarter, albeit a much smaller one than investors had originally expected.”
complex
“The researchers concluded that the experimental treatment was highly effective at reducing symptoms, albeit with a risk of mild side effects that require ongoing patient monitoring.”
Usage
Unlike 'although', the conjunction is rarely followed by a full clause with a subject and verb; it typically introduces an adjectival, adverbial, or prepositional phrase.
Real-World Examples
Common in sport and science writing
“The royal college reported 70 cases of serious damage to people’s eyesight; albeit none permanent.” “Letícia Rodrigues’s show is autobiographical, albeit dramatised through a character called Gorda who, like her, is Brazilian and has been deemed overweight for most of her life.” “The armed conflicts that have shaped the region are also reflected in the exhibition, albeit indirectly.” “In contrast, the political left locates care as a state responsibility, transferring it into the paid labour market (albeit still usually performed by women, for almost-free).” Etymology
From the Middle English expression al be it (that), itself shortened from althagh it be that (“although it be that”), and thus composed from al (“completely, entirely”) + be (3rd person singular present subjunctive of been (“to be”)) + it.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/albeit