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Added 9 October 2026

avert

/əˈvɝt/ verb

Latin root: āvertere Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about avert at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To turn aside or away.
I averted my eyes while my friend typed in her password.
To ward off, or prevent, the occurrence or effects of.
How can the danger be averted?
To turn away.

Origin

From Middle English averten, adverten, from Old French avertir (“turn, direct, avert; turn the attention, make aware”), from Latin āvertere, from ab + vertō (“to turn”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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