English
advantage
Advantage comes from Old French avantage, from avant ‘before’ + -age, from Late Latin ab ante ‘in front of’.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEab ante‘in front’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400avant‘before’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400avantage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596advantage
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEab ante‘in front’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400avant‘before’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400avantage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596advantage
Earliest quotation: c. 1596, William Shakespeare, The Life and Death of King Iohn: “And with advantage means to pay thy love.”
The story
The spelling with d originates in a latinizing hypercorrection, the a- being falsely supposed to be from Latin ad (see advance). For sense development, compare foredeal.
Every English word from Late Latin ab ante
Today it means
noun Any condition, circumstance, opportunity or means, particularly favorable or chance to success, or to any desired end.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin ab ante / advantage