elevate

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

Elevate’s story begins in Latin: levis meant “light, not heavy.” Light, not heavy, combined with ex- (out). Within Latin, it grew into elevare by ancient. To lift up, to raise, from ex- and levis. It reached English by 1400s as elevate. Settled as the English word for raising something to a higher position. Today, elevate means to raise something to a higher position, level, or status.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient levis "light, not heavy", light, not heavy, combined with ex- (out).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient elevare "to lift up, to raise", to lift up, to raise, from ex- and levis.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s elevate "to raise something to a higher position or level", settled as the English word for raising something to a higher position.