English
relevant
Relevant comes from Scots relevant ‘legally pertinent’, from Latin relevāns, present participle of relevō ‘to lift up’, from levō, from levis ‘light’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElevis‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElevō‘to raise, lighten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErelevō‘to raise, lighten’
- Scotsc. 1450–presentrelevant
- Englishearliest quotation 1973same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElevis‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElevō‘to raise, lighten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErelevō‘to raise, lighten’
- Scotsc. 1450–presentrelevant
- Englishearliest quotation 1973same form
Earliest quotation: 1973, Hansen says Christmas time for thanks, hope: “The message of Christmas is still relevant as we…”
first attested From Scots relevant meaning "legally pertinent," used in Scottish legal circles starting in the early 1500s, and first used in English in the 1700s (as stated in the etymology)
The story
From Scots relevant meaning "legally pertinent," used in Scottish legal circles starting in the early 1500s, and first used in English in the 1700s.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ- ‘lightweight’
light, lung, obliterate, 12 more
through Latin levis ‘light, not heavy’
leave, oblivion, oblivious, alleviate, allege, leger, levee, levitation, levity, levitate, 25 more
through Latin levō ‘lift’
elevator, elevation, lever, elevate, unleavened, leaven, 20 more
through Latin relevō ‘lift up again, lighten, relieve’
Today it means
adj Related, connected, or pertinent to a topic.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin levis / relevant