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n. 1. The coming or arrival of something or someone that is important or worthy of note: the advent of the computer. 2. Advent Christianity a. The liturgical period preceding Christmas, beginning in Western churches on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and in Eastern churches in mid-November, and observed by many Christians as a season of prayer, fasting, and penitence. b. The coming of Jesus at the Incarnation. c. See Second Coming. [Middle English, the Advent season, from Old French, from Latin adventus, arrival, from past participle of advenīre, to come to : ad-, ad- + venīre, to come; see gwā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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