albeit
Although, despite (it) being.
Conjunction
- Although, despite (it) being.
- VVho are you? tell me for more certainty, / Albeit Ile ſvveare that I do knovv your tongue. - c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories,...
- 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. - 2001,...
- There’s an easy, albeit expensive, way to fix the national crisis in forensic crime labs. - 2007 June 17, Ellen Marrus, Houston Chronicle:
Synonyms: as much as though albeit although as despite that even though howbeit much as thoughbeit while
Origin
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.