You’ve likely seen an advent calendar before, but what does the word advent mean? This article will tell you everything about the meaning of advent.
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Kevin
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April 22, 2022
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Common Questions
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Christianity is the largest religious group globally, with roughly 2.4 billion adherents equalling 33 percent of the total population. So, we’d say there’s a good chance you’ve come across the word advent — but do you know what it means? Or how to use it in a sentence?
Not to worry, this article will provide you with everything you need to know about advent, including its definition, origin, synonyms, and more. By the end of this post, you should better understand the word advent and even feel comfortable using it in a sentence.
What Is the Definition of Advent?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, advent can be defined as the fact of an event happening, an invention being made, or a person arriving.
In a different definition provided by the Oxford English Dictionary, advent refers to the first season of the Church’s liturgical year leading up to Christmas.
Other definitions of advent include:
- The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event
- The coming or second coming of Christ
- The time when something or someone begins or arrives; the first appearance of someone or something
What Is the Origin of Advent?
Advent derives from the Latin word adventus (quite literally meaning “coming” or “arrival”), which is a translation of the Greek word parousia (παρουσία) — a word commonly used in anticipation of the arrival of a king, official, or emperor.
The history of advent is a little blurry; however, many scholars believe that sometime during the 4th and 5th centuries in Gaul and Spain, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, which is:
- The celebration of God’s incarnation, represented by the Magi’s visit to baby Jesus
- Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist
- Jesus’ first miracle at Cana
By the 8th century, Advent was generally observed for six weeks in the East and seven in the West. But by the 12th century, the West shortened it down to four weeks.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Related Words
Now that you understand what our word of the day means, let’s look at a few synonyms, antonyms, and related terms to help get you better acquainted with advent, shall we?
Synonyms of advent:
- Arrival
- Appearance
- Emergence
- Surfacing
- Occurrence
- Dawn
- Origin
- Birth
- Rise
- Development
- Approach
- Coming
- Looming
- Onset
- Entrance
- Visitation
Antonyms of advent:
- Departure
- Disappearance
- Evacuate
- Decampment
- Exit
- Farewell
- Leaving
- End
- Absence
- Egress
- Evacuation
Related words:
- Advent calendar
- Nativity
- Coming of Jesus
- Denominations
- Messiah
- Advent wreath
- Easter
- Isaiah
- Jesus Christ
- Advent candles
- White candle
- Old testament
- New testament
- Lent
- Lutheran
Examples of Advent Used in a Sentence
Advent is defined as the coming or arrival of something. With this in mind, quiz yourself to see how many sentences you can come up with using the word advent.
To get you going, feel free to check out our usage examples listed below:
With the advent of technology, working from home has become easier than ever!
The elders of the church are discussing the advent of the messiah tonight.
With the advent of the railways, it’s no wonder why tourism boomed.
The Advent hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is my favorite to sing.
Advent always commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
Did you know that advent is also known as the Nativity Fast in Orthodox Christianity?
Don’t forget to light the advent candles!
Thanks to the advent of electronic banking, paper checks have practically become obsolete!
How Do You Celebrate Advent?
The advent season is a period of spiritual preparation.
Celebrating advent typically involves a season of prayer, repentance, and fasting, followed by hope, anticipation, and joy. With that in mind, here are a few more ways you can celebrate the season of Advent with loved ones:
- Set aside time for family bible study
- Attend an advent event at your local church
- Make an advent wreath and use it as a part of your daily prayer and reflection
- Make a Jesse tree
- Visit a living nativity
- Get involved with your parish
- Celebrate advent saints
- Encourage thankfulness
- Connect to history
Summary
The season leading up to Christmas, advent is observed by Catholics and other liturgical groups, such as Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans. It’s a time of anticipation, a time of preparation, and a time of remembrance.
The Christian advent tradition celebrates the coming of Jesus Christ through his birth in Bethlehem. It starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25 and ends on Christmas Eve.
No one is sure when the first advent was celebrated, but it dates back to hundreds of years ago when monks were ordered to fast during December in the days leading up to Christmas.
We hope this guide has provided you with a better understanding of the word advent. In short, advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas. To discover more interesting words, feel free to explore our website, where you’ll also find useful grammar tools and helpful tips.
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