Despite the fact or thing mentioned; nevertheless or in spite of.
From Middle English, literally 'not with standing' meaning 'not standing against' or 'not opposing.' Originally formed from 'not' + 'withstanding' (present participle of 'withstand'), evolving from a phrase meaning 'not resisting' to its current meaning of 'in spite of.'
This word is grammatically fascinating because it can function as three different parts of speech - preposition, adverb, and conjunction - all with the same spelling! It's also one of the longest single-word prepositions in English, making it a favorite among legal writers who love its formal, unambiguous tone.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.