English
levitate
Levitate comes from New Latin levitō ‘to levitate’, and goes back to Latin levis.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElevis
- New Latinc. 1500–1900levitō‘to levitate’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900levitātusperfect passive participle of levitō
- Englishtodaylevitate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElevis
- New Latinc. 1500–1900levitō‘to levitate’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900levitātusperfect passive participle of levitō
- Englishtodaylevitate
first attested First attested in 1673 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1673; borrowed from New Latin levitātus, perfect passive participle of levitō (‘to levitate; to have one's motion directed upward, as opposed to the downward motion induced by gravity’) (first attested c. 1670), modeled on gravitō (‘to gravitate’) (← Latin gravis (‘heavy’)), from levis (‘light’), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Linked words
through Latin levis
leave, relevant, elevator, elevation, lever, oblivious, oblivion, allege, levant, alleviate, elevate, leger, levee, 28 more
Today it means
verb To cause to rise in the air and float, as if in defiance of gravity.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin levis / levitate