# advance

> English word · Verb · IPA /ədˈvɑːns/ · frequency rank #2,241

## Definitions
1. To promote or advantage.
2. To promote or advantage.
3. To move forward in space or time.
4. To move forward in space or time.
5. To move forward in space or time.
6. To move forward in space or time.
7. To move forward in space or time.
8. To move forward in space or time.
9. To move forward in space or time.
10. To raise, be raised.
11. To raise, be raised.
12. To raise, be raised.
13. To raise, be raised.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó
Proto-Italic *ap
Latin ab
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent-
Proto-Indo-European *-s
Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts
Proto-Indo-European *-i
Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti
Proto-Italic *anti
Latin ante
Late Latin ab ante
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Italic *-āō
Latin -ō
Vulgar Latin *abanteāre
Old French avancierbor.
Middle English avauncen
English advance
From Middle English avauncen, avancen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman avauncier, from Vulgar Latin *abanteāre, from Late Latin ab ante, from Latin ab + ante (“before”). ⟨d⟩ added in analogy to Latin ad- (cf. Middle French advancer). Compare avaunt.

## Easily confused with
- **advice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/advance-vs-advice)
- **advanced** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/advance-vs-advanced)
- **advances** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/advance-vs-advances)

## Common misspellings (11)
`adavnce`, `addvance`, `advacne`, `advancce`, `advanec`, `advannce`, `advence`, `advnace`, `advvance`, `avdance`, `davance`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/advance