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.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɔːlˈbiː.ɪt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɔlˈbi.ət/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ɑlˈbi.ɪt/
• Hyphenation: al‧be‧it

albeit

1. Although, despite (it) being.

   Synonyms: as much as, though; see also Thesaurus:even though

   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vi], page 170:

     VVho are you? tell me for more certainty, / Albeit Ile ſvveare that I do knovv 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, 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.

• The word albeit historically also introduced an independent clause as although does (as in the Shakespearean quote above); however after the Early Modern English period, it ceased to do so, and today only introduces 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 reanalysis of albeit.

• albe, albethey

• howbeit
• sobeit

• albite, betail, libate

albeit

1. Alternative form of abeit
   • 1867, CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, page 114, lines 7-9:

     and whilke we canna zei, albeit o' 'Governere,' 'Statesman,' an alike.

     and for which we have no words but of 'Governor,' 'Statesman,' &c.

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 22