levis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɛ.wɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɛː.vis]^[1]

Forms

levis (neuter leve, comparative levior, superlative levissimus, adverb leviter); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *leχu-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁legʷʰ-u- (“light”).^[2][1] De Vaan notes two forms of the root, with and without a nasal, and Latin continues the one without.^[2] The old u-stem adjective was remade as an i-stem, a change found in all such Latin adjectives.^[2][1]

Cognate with Old Irish laigiu (“lighter, poorer”), Sanskrit रघु (raghú-, “swift”), Ancient Greek ἐλαχύς (elakhús, “small”), Lithuanian leñgvas (“light”), Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃 (leihts, “light”) and English light.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,^[2] who calls a man “lighter than a feather”.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant light in weight, nimble and quick, and unburdened, and Caesar's levis armatura are light-armed troops.^[3] It described a gentle touch, a mild breeze, thin air, and food or wine that is easily digested.^[3]

Figuratively a task, a loss or a pain was light, that is, easy or bearable, while an argument was weak and a person without influence.^[3] It meant trivial and, of literature, light and meant to amuse.^[3] Of people it meant fickle or unreliable, as Cicero's inconstans ac levis.^[3] Medieval music theory used it for a high pitch.^[5] It survives as Italian lieve and Spanish and Portuguese leve.^[1] English levity comes from levitās, and lever from levāre “to raise”.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls a man lighter than a feather.^[3][7]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius writes of lighter and heavier bodies falling.^[3][7]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses levis armatura for light-armed troops.^[3][7]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for light wines and for fickle people.^[3][7]
• c. 1300 – English lever comes through Old French levier.^[6]
• 1560s – English levity is first recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Light (in weight).^[3][4]
2. Nimble, quick.^[3][1]
3. Unburdened, (military) light-armed.^[3]
4. Gentle, slight, mild; thin.^[3]
5. (of food) Easily digested.^[3][1]
6. Easy; bearable.^[3]
7. Weak, of little force; without influence.^[3]
8. Trivial, unimportant.^[3][1]
9. Meant to amuse, light.^[3]
10. Fickle, unreliable.^[3][1]
11. (Medieval Latin, music) High (in pitch).^[5]

Word family

• leuiculus
• levidēnsis
• levifīdus
• levipēs
• leuisomnus
• levitās
• leviter
• levō
• perleuis

Related words

• English levity
• English lever
• English alleviate

Usage notes

A different word, lēvis with a long e, means “smooth”; it is found from Cato on and is related to Ancient Greek λεῖος (leîos, “smooth”).^[2][3] Döderlein contrasts this lēvis, a pleasant smoothness, with glaber, bare or hairless.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper