alleviate

Where does the word "alleviate" come from? It comes from Latin levis, passing through Late Latin before entering English (1400s).

Alleviate’s story begins in Latin: levis meant “light, not heavy.” Light, not heavy, combined with ad- (to). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as alleviare. To lighten, to make less burdensome, from ad- and levis. It reached English by 1400s as alleviate. Settled as the English word for making pain or difficulty less severe. Today, alleviate means to make pain, suffering, or a problem less severe.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient levis "light, not heavy", light, not heavy, combined with ad- (to).
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · medieval alleviare "to lighten, to make less burdensome", to lighten, to make less burdensome, from ad- and levis.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s alleviate "to make pain or difficulty less severe", settled as the English word for making pain or difficulty less severe.