nevertheless

adverb

1. nonetheless; notwithstanding; however; in spite of that: a small but nevertheless important change.

sentence connector

1. in spite of that; however; yet

adv.c.1300, neuer þe lesse; as one word from early 14c., neuerþeles. The sense of never here is “not at all; none the,” as in unmerged expressions such as never the wiser, never the worse. Middle English also had neverthelater in same sense.