Advent means the arrival or beginning of something important, especially something that changes how people live. The advent of the internet transformed how we communicate and learn. The advent of the airplane made it possible to travel across continents in hours instead of weeks.

The word carries a sense of significance: you wouldn't talk about the advent of a new pencil, but you might describe the advent of electricity or the advent of printing as turning points in history. When something arrives that opens new possibilities or marks a new era, that's an advent.

You'll often see it in the phrase “the advent of,” followed by an invention, idea, or era that mattered.

Advent with a capital A also refers to the season in Christianity before Christmas, when believers prepare for and anticipate Jesus' birth. Churches count down the four Sundays of Advent, and many families use Advent calendars with small windows to open each day in December. Both meanings share that idea of something important approaching or arriving.