advent
advent — noun
1. the moment when something new and significant — for example a person, technology
the moment when something new and significant — for example a person, technology, or social change — first appears or starts to be used.
The advent of the smartphone changed how families in Taipei keep in touch.
the advent of + noun phrase
Many farmers welcomed the advent of cheap solar panels in their villages.
subject 'farmers' + welcomed + advent
Before the advent of antibiotics, a small cut could kill a healthy child.
Historians often debate the advent of the industrial age in nineteenth-century Britain.
The advent of online banking made long queues at branches almost disappear.
- arrival
neutral and everyday; 'advent' is more formal and weightier
- emergence
stresses gradual appearing; 'advent' marks a clear starting point
- introduction
more about deliberately bringing something in; 'advent' just notes its first coming
- dawn
metaphorical and literary, often paired with 'era'
- disappearance
the opposite of something coming into existence
- demise
formal; the ending of an institution or technology
文法句型
the advent of + noun
用法筆記
Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of'. Subject of the surrounding sentence usually describes a wide social change, a historical shift, or a major effect — not a small everyday event.
常見錯誤
2. the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, when many Christian families and churc
the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, when many Christian families and churches prepare for the holiday through prayers, songs, and special calendars.
During Advent, Maria's grandmother lights one candle on the wreath every Sunday.
during Advent + ritual activity
Children at the German school open one door of their Advent calendar each morning.
compound: Advent calendar
The choir practises Christmas songs throughout Advent in the cold stone church.
In our village, Advent begins on the first Sunday after the last weekend of November.
Father Brown asked the children to be quiet and thoughtful during Advent.
- Christmastide
a wider Christian period that includes Christmas itself; Advent ends on Christmas Eve
- Nativity season
less standard; emphasises the birth of Jesus rather than the waiting period
文法句型
during Advent
in Advent
用法筆記
Capitalised as 'Advent' in this sense, unlike sense 1. Often appears in fixed compounds: Advent calendar, Advent wreath, Advent Sunday. Distinguish from sense 1 by the religious-calendar context.