advantage

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
3. Proto-Italic*ap
4. Latinab
5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
7. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énti
8. Proto-Italic*anti
9. Latinante
10. Late Latinab ante
11. Old Frenchavant
12. Old Frenchavantage
13. Middle Englishavantage
14. English todayadvantage

From Middle English avantage, avauntage, from Old French avantage, from avant (“before”), from Late Latin ab ante. 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.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. to provide (someone) with an advantage, to give an edge to
• from 16th c. to do something for one's own benefit; to take advantage of