conjunction
Common
albeit
awl-BEE-iht
Albeit (conjunction) means Even though; although. Example: “The hotel was comfortable, albeit a little noisy at night.”
conjunction
1
Even though; although.
"The hotel was comfortable, albeit a little noisy at night."
"There’s an easy, albeit expensive, way to fix the national crisis in forensic crime labs."
— Ellen Marrus, Houston Chronicle (2007)
"Pelosi eventually agreed to self-impose term limits, albeit with an escape clause."
— Zachary B. Wolf, 8 times Democrats clashed with each other since taking power (2019)
"She finished the marathon, albeit slowly."
"The plan worked, albeit not quite the way we expected."
"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."
— Ben Dirs, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67 – 3 Romania (2011)
How to use albeit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA single-word way of saying "although" or "even though," usually placed mid-sentence before a qualifying detail.
When to use it
Fairly formal; common in writing, less so in casual speech.
Easily confused with
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Etymology
A fusion of the Middle English phrase "al be it (that)," literally "although it be that."
Related words
Rhymes for albeit
See all rhymes for albeit →Frequently asked questions
What does “albeit” mean?
The word “albeit” means even though; although. In plain terms, a single-word way of saying "although" or "even though," usually placed mid-sentence before a qualifying detail.
How do you pronounce “albeit”?
“Albeit” is pronounced awl-BEE-iht (/ɔlˈbi.ət/ in IPA).
How do you use “albeit” in a sentence?
Here is “albeit” used in a sentence: “She finished the marathon, albeit slowly.”
What part of speech is “albeit”?
“Albeit” is a conjunction.
Where does the word “albeit” come from?
The word “albeit” comes from Middle English. A fusion of the Middle English phrase "al be it (that)," literally "although it be that.".
Is “albeit” a common word?
“Albeit” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between albeit and although?
"Although" normally introduces a full clause with its own subject and verb, while "albeit" is usually followed by a single word or short phrase. For example, "a useful, albeit expensive, tool" rather than "albeit it was expensive."
Is albeit formal or informal?
Albeit is fairly formal and appears more often in writing than in everyday speech. In casual conversation, "though" or "even if" often sounds more natural.
Can you start a sentence with albeit?
Albeit usually appears in the middle of a sentence, introducing a concessive phrase after a comma. Starting a whole sentence with it is unusual and can read awkwardly.
Is albeit written as one word or three?
In modern English, albeit is always written as a single word. The spelling "all be it" is not used in current standard writing.
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