Make Your Editor Cry: All be it vs. Albeit
Albeit is a single word meaning “although” or “even though”. It should not be broken up into three separate words as all be it just as “although” is not broken up into multiple words like “all though.”
Evidence indicates that “albeit,” was first recorded in English in the fourteenth century, and albeit its use admittedly declined (see what I did there?) during the nineteenth century, it never really went out of use. Use of albeit has increased considerably since the 1930s according to Merriam-Webster.
It comes from Middle English, letter for letter, and literally meant “all though it be.” Chiefly British words like howbeit, whereas, and whilst share a similar heritage which, possibly coincidentally, are all passable synonyms for albeit.
Examples:
Incorrect:
We took an enjoyable, all be it expensive, vacation.
Correct:
We took an enjoyable, albeit expensive, vacation.
Gregg Bridgeman is the Editor-in-Chief at Olivia Kimbrell Press. He is husband to best-selling Christian author Hallee Bridgeman and parent to three. He continues to proudly serve in the US Armed Forces and has done so in either an active or reserve capacity for more than twenty years as an airborne and air assault qualified paratrooper, earning a Bronze Star for his service. Most importantly, he was ordained in October of 2001 after surrendering his life to Christ decades earlier.
