Etymograph

English

level up

From level + up.

A compound of level + up

Latin lībra ‘a balance, a level’

Latin libella ‘a balance, a level’

Old French livel

Middle English level

English level

Proto-Germanic *upp ‘up’

Proto-West Germanic *upp

Old English upp

Middle English up ‘to a vertical axis’

English up

The story

The video game sense is a calque of Japanese レベルアップ (reberu appu) using the SOV word order.

Today it means

verb To raise to the same level or status; to improve so as to make as good as others.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / level up