albeit

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.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɔːlˈbiː.ɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɔlˈbi.ət/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

albeit

1. Although, despite (it) being.

   He has a very good idea, albeit a strange one.

   • c. 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act II scene vi:

     Jessica:

     Who are you? Tell me, for more certainty,

     Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue.

   • 2001, Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl, page 92:

     The stranger had crossed a sacred line. He had mentioned the men’s mothers. Nothing could get him out of a beating now, even the fact that he was obviously a simpleton. Albeit a simpleton with a good vocabulary.

   • 2007 June 17, Ellen Marrus, in the Houston Chronicle:

     There’s an easy, albeit expensive, way to fix the national crisis in forensic crime labs.

   • 2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Up front, skipper and open-side Lewis Moody looked almost back to full fitness, while England's set-piece was barely troubled, albeit against a Romania side showing 11 changes from that beaten by Argentina earlier in the week.

• Unlike although, albeit cannot introduce an independent clause but can only introduce a noun phrase, adjectival phrase, adverbial phrase, or dependent clause.
• Rarely, albethey is used when the meaning is “despite (the multiple things) being” rather than “despite (the single thing) being”; this is nonstandard, based on a flawed interpretation of albeit.

• albite, betail, libate