levitas Latin · revision 8354

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=la levis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɛ.wɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɛː.vi.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''levitās''' ''f'' (genitive levitātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[levis]] “light” with the suffix [[-tās]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of lightness and fickleness.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant lack of weight, lightness, and of pain mildness, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero it also meant unreliability, fickleness, shallowness.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant lightness, fickleness, levity, shallowness.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for the lightness that makes fire rise.^(DMLBS) Through French it gave [[en|levity]] in the 1560s, and [[en|levitate]] was formed from it in the 1670s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of lightness and fickleness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1560s – English ''levity'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – English ''levitate'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|Lightness]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Mildness (of pain).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Fickleness, shallowness, [[m|en|levity]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[levis]]

+ * [[levō]]

+ * [[en|levity]]

+ * [[en|levitate]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different ''lēvitās'', from [[lēvis]] “smooth”, means smoothness.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}