howbeit

English

WOTD – 10 May 2009

Alternative forms

• howbe

Etymology

Univerbation of how +‎ be +‎ it, literally “however it [may] be”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /haʊˈbiː.ɪt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Conjunction

howbeit

1. (archaic) Although.

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

   • 1587, Philip of Mornay [i.e., Philippe de Mornay], “That there is but Onely One God”, in Philip Sidney, Arthur Golding, transl., A Woorke Concerning the Trewnesse of the Christian Religion, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and] George Robinson for Thomas Cadman, […], →OCLC, page 18:

     The Ueynes are ſpred foorth throughout the whole bodie, howbeit from one welhead, that is to ſay from the Liuer: ſo be the Sinews, howbeit from the Brayne; So likewiſe are the Heartſtrings, howbeit from the Heart.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:

     Howbeit we have not yet been able to overtake young Madam, we may account it ſome good fortune, that we have hitherto traced her courſe aright.

Translations

although

• Czech: ačkoli (cs)
• Maori: otirā
• Polish: aliści
• Scottish Gaelic: ge

Adverb

howbeit (not comparable)

1. (archaic) Be that as it may; nevertheless.
   • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ix], page 7, column 2:

     I will goe waſh : / And when my Face is faire, you ſhall perceiue / Whether I bluſh, or no : howbeit, I thanke you, / I meane to ſtride your Steed, and at all times / To vnder-creſt your good Addition, / To th’ faireneſſe of my power.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Galatians 4:8:

     Howbeit, then when ye knew not God, yee did ſeruice vnto them which by nature are no Gods.

   • 1871, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Through Death to Love, lines 7–10:

     Our hearts discern wild images of Death,
     Shadows and shoals that edge eternity.
     Howbeit athwart Death's imminent shade doth soar
     One Power

   • 1941 June, “Some Early Welsh-Built Engines”, in Railway Magazine, page 246:

     This applies not only to trackwork and operational methods, but also to motive power, and it will be recalled that the first steam locomotive to run on rails (howbeit, tramplates) was Trevithick's Penydarren engine of 1804.

Synonyms

• be it as it may, even so, however, nonetheless; see also Thesaurus:nevertheless

Related terms

• albeit

Translations

be that as it may

• Czech: nicméně (cs)
• French: quoi qu’il en soit (fr), néanmoins (fr)
• German: gleichwohl (de)
• Russian: те́м не ме́нее (ru) (tém ne méneje)
• Scottish Gaelic: gidheadh
• Swedish: hur som helst (sv)

References

• “howbeit”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.