Word of the day: Anent

Anent

[ə-NENT]

Part of speech: preposition

Origin: Old English, pre-13th century

Concerning; about.

Examples of anent in a sentence

"I received a letter from the municipality anent increases to local taxes."

"The professor delivered a lecture anent the French Revolution and the Enlightenment."

About Anent

“Anent” is based on the Old English “on efen,” meaning “in line with” or “in company with.”

Did you Know?

“Anent” has existed in some form or another since Old English, which appears more like German than modern English. Early on, “anent” had several meanings, including “alongside,” “in line with,” or “along with.” The contemporary meaning of “anent” (“concerning”) has been one of the word’s earliest definitions since the 13th century. As the other definitions have fallen away, use of the term as a synonym for “about” has remained constant. In Scotland, the expressions “thereanent” and “whereanent” are similar to “thereabout” and “whereabout.”